Operation: Phoenix Down
by QuikSilverZero
Summary: Finally..this update was painfully long...i managed to finish chapter 11 of this original ff8 fic. please r/r. thanks
1. Chapter 1

Chapter Zero  
  
  
  
Chapter Zero? That's right! This chapter is a list of all the main characters, all my dedications, statistics of the technical stuff, history, and all the boring copyright info.  
  
  
  
\/Main Characters/\  
  
Squall Leonhart [pic]  
  
This is the main character of the story. Squall is a bit on the cold side. He doesn't care much about others when it doesn't concern him. He is a student of Balamb Garden.  
  
Rinoa Heartilly [pic]  
  
Though she doesn't present herself in the beginning, she is the female lead of the story. She is very nice, true to her heart. and warm to others, sort of opposite of Squall. She is also the leader of the Timber Owls, a group which opposes Galbadia Garden and Sorceress Edea.  
  
Zell Dincht [pic]  
  
He is Squall's best friend. Zell have a high temper, and gets mad easily. He is an expert in all types of fighting styles. Though he tries to be a 'player,' he is never very successful.  
  
Quistis Trepe [pic]  
  
An instructor at Balamb Garden. She just graduated a year before, and applied herself to be a teacher. She has feelings for Squall, though she tries to hide it.  
  
Selphie Timmitt [pic]  
  
She is a new transfer student from Tribia Garden, and Zell's new girlfriend. She's very hyperactive, and a very good talker. She is also the Head of Festive Committee in the Garden.  
  
Irvine Kenneas [pic]  
  
A student from Galbadia Garden, and the true 'player' of the group. He trains in the area of sniper arts. Though a very good sniper, his nerves collapses under pressure.  
  
Seifer Almasy [pic]  
  
A student at Balamb Garden. He considers himself a rival of Squall. He doesn't like to follow rules, and always wants his own ways. Seifer is the oldest student at Balamb Garden.  
  
Laguna Loire [pic]  
  
A retired Galbadia Soldier, now a journalist working for the publisher Timber Maniacs. He is warm hearted, and very fun to be around. He has a son and a daughter.  
  
  
  
Sorceress Edea [pic]  
  
She is a sorceress planning to take over the world. With the help of Galbadia Garden, she seems to be unstoppable.  
  
Headmaster Sid [pic]  
  
Headmaster of Balamb Garden. Very nice, and generous. Though sometimes he is taken advantage of.  
  
  
  
\/Dedications/\  
  
I would like to dedicate this to my friends at LMS that got me into the Final Fantasy Stuff…Jason, Matt, all you people. My computer. Without you, I would've never been here…Square Soft! You guys are gods. Without you, I'll probably still be a fighter freak. And uh \ / \ / ] ] _ ] _ E ] \ [.  
  
\/Technical/\  
  
The body text of the writing SHOULD be in 12 point MS Reference Sans Serif, one and one-half spaced, with macros auto-hyphenation. The Title boxes in Coronet. And the FF writing in Runic MT Condensed. On computer, it should be viewed in Words with all the bells and whistles on.  
  
  
  
\/Copyrights/\  
  
All parts of this writing may NOT be reproduced in any way, unless with the explicit permission of the author. The writing belongs to the author, who is me, Tao Li. Actually…All of the FINISHED writing(separate chapters) can be, electronically or physically, transmitted ONLY FOR PERSONAL USES. I encourage you to share this with your friends. BUT, that does not include printing for your own profit. A.k.a.: selling them. That is a violation of international copyright law, and can be punished by law. At the time of this writing, this novel is not finished/completed.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
1.1.1.1 Chapter One  
  
  
  
"Can you say your name for me?"  
  
Squall laid flat on the cushioned bed as he regained his conciseness. Feeling still sick, he held himself up as the doctor continued on his forehead, examining and reapplying potion for the fourth time.  
  
"Doctor, I'm fine. Your don't have to fuss about a small scratch." Squall said, though he felt the stinging sensation as the doctor went on without stopping.  
  
The infirmary is like its old self; white and green wall, which always make Squall think of green grass and white sky. The curtain is fluttering against the soft wind.  
  
He's lying in the inner room, which is where you go if you are seriously injured.  
  
"I wouldn't call that a scratch if I were you," he said, as he applied more potion on it. "It is quite deep. I think you should keep this one, unless you want enormous stitches across your head."  
  
"I guess I'll keep it." Squall groaned, still holding his forehead.  
  
"When you're finish resting, Quistis wants you to forget about the morning classes." The Doctor said as he went back to his desk, "Wait here. She'll come to get you."  
  
Another scar, representing another battle. He didn't really mind his other scars that he got in fights. But this one, across his forehead?  
  
Squall is in a special training program, called the Silver Lion. He has been in it when he was Thirteen. His friend, Zell, was with him all through his school years; they've been together through childhood, went to school together, and now is with him through Silver Lion.  
  
Just like Zell, Squall is an orphan.  
  
He remembered when he was just a child when his mother told stories about his father, about how he's father courageously fought in  
  
the battle, which he died honorably in; in the single fight against the most powerful enemy of all.  
  
Long before, There was Sepheroth, a devilish monster inhibiting in the most powerful sorcerer of the time. He turned the whole world into a living hell. Only those with incredible fighting skill and courage dared to challenge Sepheroth's power, and all of them had failed, of course, and slaughtered by him. Until one day, a Mercenary named Cloud and his fellow warriors dethroned Him of his power. Just before Sepheroth's painful death, it gave life to its next generation.  
  
After two thousand years, the egg hatched. The most evil soul has emerged. Her name was Ultimecia.  
  
It was Ultimecia who took Squall's father away.  
  
When Ultimecia stuck again, she took Squall's mother away, just like his father. Squall swore at his mother's funeral revenge for his  
  
parents' death. He heeds to do that no matter what.  
  
Ultimecia lives on the unknown part of the world. She dispatched evil spirits around the world to take control of powerful people. Five hundred years ago, one of the spirits took control of Adel; a mysterious person who controlled Esther, a continent that is hidden from the world. But that did not last long. An unknown soldier fought and took over Esther. Now, Adel is entombed in the cold surface of the Silver Moon.  
  
Twenty-five years ago, one of the evil spirits took control of Edea, a powerful sorceress who explorers the world to perfect her magic skills, and she is also the Headmistress of Galbadia Garden, a garden for training soldiers. Ultimecia used her power to take control of Galbadia Garden, and started a worldwide invasion.  
  
About the same time, every year, she would start invading a place. Those who have been conquered can do nothing about it. She has taken control of a part of the entire continent.  
  
When Squall finished his schooling at thirteen, he immediately enrolled himself to Balamb Garden, where the Silver Lion took place. Balamb Garden is located on a remote island out in the ocean.  
  
He received his weapon, the Gun Blade, when he joined the Silver Lion. The weapon has a two and a half feet blade, a razor sharp point, attached to a gun handle. Each time you pull the trigger, a shock of energy go through the blade.  
  
Training is hard, But Squall manage to pass every grueling test. Tests like written exam isn't really difficult to him. But, physical/mental exam, is when you have to fight off a monster, that's what all the students are worried about.  
  
When you graduate from Silver Lion, You become a SeeD, special military unit specialized to help restore peace around the globe.  
  
Other than Zell, he made friends. Like Nida, who is a member of Silver Lion as well, and Quistis, his teacher, who were with Squall and Zell through the whole five years.  
  
He made Enemies. Like Fujin and Rajin, who are member of the disciplinary team; people who punish students who fall below the military standard. And most especially, Seifer. It was him who gave Squall the scar across the face.  
  
Squall and Seifer had been Enemies all the time they've been in the Silver Lion. From the time they first met as Silver Lion, and to now when they're training for battle. Every time they threaten to start a fight, Quistis always come to stop them, as though she were wherever they were together.  
  
There are magical creatures inhibiting this world. Some that does not harm people, though they attack as self-defense. But most of them are ferocious and dangerous. They could attack people who just walk passes by them out in the woods. But the people know one thing that will protect them, magic.  
  
Magic is not uncommon. It is everywhere. People use magic to move objects, travel, communicate, get work done, and, at least, have fun. But for fighting, they use magic that harm the enemy and heal the allies. There is several elemental magic: Ice, Fire, Water, Thunder, Poison, Time/Gravity, Heal, Holy, and Forbidden.  
  
Each element is different than the other. Each of the creatures has a weakness to one or some element that the people could use to scare or make them unconscious with.  
  
Forbidden Magic is the creation of the Evil. They are so powerful, they are banned from use of anyone, anytime.  
  
Another type of magic is summoning magic. There are thirty or so types of summoning magic. When you use a summoning magic a magical creature appears and attacks your enemy. Each summoning magic has an element that they contain. Like Ice, Fire, Thunder, and so on.  
  
For Squall, he is only a beginner. The Silver Lion is designed to train beginning magic users, like Squall.  
  
A knock on the door snapped Squall back to reality. At the doorway, stood Quistis, his teacher. Quistis is very young to be a teacher, at least that's what Squall thought. She has golden orange hair, which is tied elegantly in to a loop in the back of her head. She has bright eyes, which looked incredibly intelligent. Sometimes, like today, she wore glasses. She wore the traditional, and tidy clothes of the Balamb Garden, which is high- collared outfit with gold-trimmed edges, and a black dress, or pants for guys.  
  
"How are you doing, Squall?" Quistis asked, looking at Squall straight in the eyes.  
  
"Fine." Squall said in a low voice, looking straight toward the ground.  
  
Quistis sat down on a chair besides the bed, taking a sip of water she poured out from the jug on the counter.  
  
"That was a bad wound you took from training. Did the doctor clean it out for you?" Quistis asked, still holding the cup in her hand.  
  
"I've had worse." Squall answered shortly.  
  
Quistis didn't say anything for a while. Finally she stood up. "Have you had enough rest?"  
  
Squall stood up too. "Yeah." Walking toward the door.  
  
"All right. Let's get out of here." Quistis lead Squall out the Exit  
  
They both walked down the corridor, which is now full of people. Because the Morning classes has ended, and it's time for break and lunch. All of them have two hours until the afternoon classes.  
  
"How's your study?" Quistis asked while looking straight forward.  
  
"Same." Squall just said flatly.  
  
Quistis suddenly stopped in front of Squall. "Listen to me. I know you're mad at Seifer, but you cannot go looking for revenge. Not now"  
  
Squall sighed. Quistis do this almost every time they got in a fight. Quistis sometimes is like a sister to Squall rather than a teacher. "Yeah, sure." Squall said, and resumed walking. Quistis soon started walking too.  
  
They stopped at the edge of a flight of stairs, which leads to the to the main part of the Garden and the lunch area.  
  
"You can go get lunch now, since you have been in the Infirmary all morning. I've heard they're serving hot dogs." Quistis smiled awkwardly to Squall.  
  
Quistis waved good-bye to Squall and walked to the elevator to return to her classroom.  
  
Squall strolled slowly down the steps. He heard footsteps running towards him. He didn't stop to look.  
  
"Hey did you check out that new foreign exchange student? She is such a chick!"  
  
Zell ran and stepped beside of him. Zell looks like someone out of a comic book. If he had gone one step further into dressing himself, he would be wearing wetsuit and a cape. But today, he is wearing a colorful tropical shirt.  
  
Zell became a SeeD to follow his father's footsteps to become a soldier. His father died in the same war Squall's father died in- the fight against Ultimecia.  
  
Zell lives in Balamb, a quiet, cozy little coast town by the ocean, which is a couple of hours drive from the garden. Many students visit there on days off. It is also a harbor, used to ferry students off the small island for vacation. For Squall, he just stays around the garden.  
  
Zell and him walked toward the lunch area, and sat down.  
  
"Are you going to devote your whole life to girls? You had, what, five girlfriends already? And you broke up with four. Are you going to treat this as a game?" Squall said as he took out his card to get lunch.  
  
"Hey, let me say something, and I quote, 'If you can't live with them, you don't have to!'" Said Zell, as though he was having a grand lecture. He too took out his student card and swiped it in to the slot. "Hot Dogs," he said to table. Some bright red letters popped up on the screen that said: SOLD OUT.  
  
"God darn it!" Zell pounded hard on the table, "Every time!"  
  
Pizza, though, popped out of the table in front of Squall. Squall took the lunch and started walking toward the dorm area.  
  
"Where are you going?!" Zell grabbed his lunch and ran toward Squall. "I was going to introduce to you some new girls!" Zell yelled after him.  
  
"Maybe some other time." Squall muttered.  
  
Squall walked back to his dorm. Gulping on his drink, he sat down and turned on his PC.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
PC ID: SQUALL LEONHART/ ID NUM: 1279  
  
LOGGING IN…  
  
WAIT…  
  
WELCOME TO DATA BASE, SQUALL  
  
1. EVENT  
  
2. GARDEN  
  
3. ASSIGNED WORK  
  
4. GAMES  
  
5. DIARY  
  
6. SCHOOL NET  
  
7. MAIL BOX  
  
  
  
Squall first went to his work. He dragged his cursor to Assigned Work, and clicked. There displayed a list of teachers with a little comment next to it:  
  
1. Quistis—Magic/Strategy —N/A—Com: get well soon!  
  
2. Ridder—Past & Future—N/A—Com: nasty wound  
  
3. Chaine—Creature I.D—N/A—Com: see you tomorrow  
  
4. Norg—Battle—N/A—Com: train hard  
  
Great, Squall thought, now the teachers are easing on him. He went back to the main page, and clicked on the link about the Dance.  
  
WORKING…  
  
DONE!  
  
The Graduation Ball is on its way! This is a dance only for those who graduate from Silver Lion! This dance will begin three days after the exam. Get approval from all of your teachers after the exam and come by to the Quad to register! Registration fee is 500Gil.  
  
Mail me at SELPHIE@BOX45  
  
FINISHING…  
  
A school dance. One of the things Squall hated the most.  
  
Squall closed the link, and clicked the Event link. He wants to find out more about the exam they were talking about in class yesterday.  
  
A list of events lit up on the screen. He went through them, and clicked on the Ending Exam icon.  
  
WORKING…  
  
…  
  
DONE! DISPLAYING…  
  
Final field exam date is set on the fifteenth of this month. The Silver Lions and Falcons will be having theirs are the same day. The Silver Lions are to meet that day in the lobby with their partner promptly at 0900 hours. Be prepared with your spell and summon materia. Check over with your partner please. At the lobby, you will form four people per group. Anyone who wishes to earn a materia should go to the training center after class. Good luck.  
  
EXAM@MAILBOX3  
  
FINISHING…  
  
Squall only has two spell materias; Blizzard and Cure. Blizzard is the basic spell of the Ice type. Cure is the basic of the Heal type. He wishes he could have learned more of them. He wishes to learn Demi, a Time/Gravity spell, which take a quarter of the enemy's energy and gives them to the caster. There are two teachers that teach magic. Quistis is his magic casting teacher. She is going to give him a review sometime later for the exam. Norg is his magic strategy teacher.  
  
He hasn't picked, or got picked on for a partner. Other people seem to pick the opposite sex. Zell will surely pick the Foreign exchange student he babbled about  
  
He backed out of events, and went to his mailbox. He doesn't usually get mail, but he checks it sometimes any ways. The screen flashed a bit and there, it said 1 NEW MAIL. He clicked. There, the sent address said XU@MAILBOX32.  
  
Squall flinched, and blinked his eyes to make sure they are working properly.  
  
Xu is a girl who is a member of a girl group, which is formed in the garden a year ago. They perform songs and dramas, which is held in the Garden Festival every year after the Graduation Dance. They are all members of the Silver Lion too, though they rarely speak to anyone. And he thinks they're really spoiled and concealed within themselves. But now one of them is sending him mail? Squall's heart thumped faster as he slowly dragged the cursor on the link, and clicked.  
  
SEACHING DATABASE…  
  
FOUND! DISPLAYING…  
  
Hi, Squall.  
  
Though I never spoke to you in person, before, I'm writing this letter because I want to ask you some thing. You know I'm in your classes, and you don't really know me that well. And, I don't know if you know or not, but I find you awfully handsome.  
  
As you know, I think, I'm in the Garden's performance group. And we all have a boyfriend, except me. I want you, or ask you to be my first boyfriend, and we can go out to Balamb next time we have the chance. What do you think? I know that you're shy and quiet. But, you may not know that I am too. It took me a lot of courage to write this letter to you. Just mail me a reply, or you can just tell me.  
  
Love /Sincerely  
  
Xu   
  
P.S. Think about being my partner for the exam?  
  
XU@MAILBOX32  
  
FINISHING…  
  
  
  
Squall froze. A lot of thoughts went through his mind. Yet he doesn't know what to do. He stood up, and walked around his dorm for a few times. He finally sat down again. He went through the tool bar, and found the print button, and he clicked. A copy of the letter came out from under the PC. He shut down it and walked out the dorm. He needs to see Zell, fast.  
  
He walked out into the main hall. Now, it's almost full of people. He squeezed through the crowd, and stepped inside the cafeteria. He found Zell chatting endlessly to a bunch of girls around a table. Squall walked soundlessly toward him and waited. Zell didn't see him standing there. Squall waited.  
  
Zell still didn't see him. Squall tapped him softly on the shoulder. He looked up, turned back to the bunch of girls. "I'll be back, girls. Wait here."  
  
"What's up?" Zell said, running his fingers through his hair, looking back at the girls.  
  
"Look at this." Squall muttered, and shoved the paper in front of him.  
  
"What's this?" Zell read, while drinking some juice. Squall let him read on. When Zell's almost finished the letter. He's eyes widened, and he almost spat out his drink.  
  
"You sure this is the right address?!" Zell muttered loudly, holding the letter like it's very precious.  
  
"Yes, and will you give me a hint what to do?"  
  
Zell thought about it for a moment. He snapped his finger. "Yes, I know exactly what to do."  
  
He lead Squall back to the table where the girls still is.  
  
"What are you doing?" Squall whispered to Zell.  
  
"Be quiet." Zell murmured back, while he sat Squall down.  
  
Zell sat down next to Squall, and turned to a girl at the table.  
  
"Xu, meet my friend, Squall."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
©( Copyright Omega 2000-2002. All text is the property of Authors Tao Li and Jeanie Owen. All rights reserved. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two  
  
  
  
Wide eyed, Squall felt his face burning as he turned to look at the girl. She though, didn't look surprised, just nervous. She is pretty…well, pretty. She has black hair down to her shoulders; sharp, brown eyes; she has a silver necklace and a silver earring; she's wearing a pair of black shorts, and a white logo T.  
  
Wow. That's all that Squall could think of at the moment.  
  
"Hello!" Xu waved her hand in front of Squall's face, and said.  
  
"Oh." Then he flashed back from being dazed a minute ago. "Hey." Squall said quietly.  
  
Xu looked around, at Zell and the other girls. "Could we have a moment?" She asked them.  
  
Zell waved his hand at Xu. "Sure. Go ahead. We are just about to take a walk… We'll, em… Come back a few minutes later. 'K?" Zell motioned the girls to go with him. All of the girls quickly gathered around Zell, and they left.  
  
"Sit with me." The girl said, quite commandingly, directing Squall to a chair next to her.  
  
"Sure." Squall mumbled, quickly sat down.  
  
Xu turned her chair toward him, putting her hands on her lap, turned toward Squall and said, "I guess you got my mail?"  
  
Squall nodding his head. "Yeah."  
  
"So?"  
  
Squall tried to make sound with his mouth, but nothing came out. He waited a few moments. "I just came down here to speak to Zell. And I didn't know you were here."  
  
"Well, that didn't go right." She said, with a tilt of her head. "Pretend that I wasn't here. What were you saying to that…boy?"  
  
"Well, you know, guys stuff…"  
  
"Ohh… so… You were gotta talk about that letter in your hand?"  
  
"Yeah…well…"  
  
"So, yeah or no?" The girl asked again.  
  
Again, Squall is Speechless. Yeah, Squall wants girl friend. But he's not in to the girlfriend - boyfriend thing. But still…  
  
Squall opened his hand in front of her, and waved them sideways. "… Uh … sure. Why not?"  
  
"Great!" Xu said, with a smile on her face. "Now we'll just wait for them to come back. I can't wait to tell them the news…"  
  
Squall buried his face in his hand, and let out a great breath. His face is burning hot. He bets that Zell will immediately talking about wedding plans when he gets back.  
  
They waited for a few minutes for them to come back, but they didn't. Great, he thought, maybe they forgot that we were here. Xu walked around the cafeteria to check if they came back. But, too, she came back pretty quickly.  
  
She made a gesture with her hands, meaning that she didn't find anything, and sat back down next to him. "Where are they?" She said quietly with a little frustration in her voice.  
  
The people are starting to leave to prepare for their afternoon classes. Soon, half the people in the cafeteria are gone. Squall is really getting tense now.  
  
A sudden bang came from across the hall from where they are sitting. Everyone turned his or her heads to look. Some ran toward there. Some scream pierced the muttering voices, and even more people ran toward the scene. Xu stood up, and walked quickly with the crowd. She turned and shouted at Squall. "Com-on!" Yet, Squall stood up quickly, and too ran.  
  
They followed the flow of the people until they stopped because they are blocked by a big crowd gathered around the elevator entrance. Squall heard some people screaming, again.  
  
Squall and Xu tried to squeeze through the crowd, only to find that the crowd squeezed back at them. He felt Xu pulled on his sleeve. He turned and saw Xu pointed at the top of the stairs. He shook his head, and followed her to it.  
  
Squall got to the top of the stairs a few seconds after Xu did. He saw Xu covered her mouth wide-eyed, looks as though she might faint any time now. He turned. And he was almost about to faint too.  
  
Over the crowd, he saw the very unlikely thing. It was Zell. The other girls were in a bunch next to him. Several feet away, to the right of him, it was a Behemoth.  
  
Strange creatures roam freely as they would on Squall's world. Most of them live in plains and forests, where they're not easily disturbed. But at Balamb Garden, the teachers bring in exotic, mostly very dangerous creatures to the training center in the Garden. Some classes, like Squall's battle class, takes place in the training center.  
  
The Behemoth, how ever, was brought in a couple of weeks ago by Norg, the battle class professor. It was still a baby. It was two months old. But, no one is saying awws at the moment. Well, maybe awes of amazement. It was as big as an armored vehicle, with purple leather skin, two horns as long as Squalls Gun Blade. From one angle, it looks like a giant purple elephant.  
  
Squall's brain worked fast. He had been through this kind of situation before on class. He Knows that he needs to distract the monster long enough to have other people to rescue all the injured people out of the scene, then run for your life. But, in the small lobby you can't really run anywhere. He'll have to think of another way.  
  
An idea flashed into his mind. What if he made the Behemoth tire or unconscious, just for a while and maybe the rescue team will show up eventually. It would be a miracle to make a creature that big to faint, but it was well worth a try.  
  
But what will he use? His Gun Blade surly is good, but it's too weak to hurt a Behemoth. Squall asked Xu. "What weapon do you have?"  
  
Xu appears to be confused. She shook her head suddenly as Squall asked her the question. "Um…I have a Cross Bow. Why?"  
  
"One more question." Squall asked again. "What's the Behemoth's weakness, if you know?"  
  
"Yeah." She said, with a semi-proud voice. "I you don't already know, I am a model student. Plus there are other thing I excel at, including dancing, hunting, Triple Quad…"  
  
"Xu," Squall stopped her. "Please."  
  
"Oh, Sorry…" Xu seems to be a little embarrassed. "It's, um…Thunder."  
  
"If," Squall started. "My Gun Sends Electric through out the blade when I pull the trigger. Then, it should transfer the shock to your arrow when they come in contact. And then…you'll be able to shock the Behemoth."  
  
Xu smiled a mysterious smile. "Cute and smart."  
  
Squall dismissed that fairly quickly. He Xu ran back toward the crowd with their weapon in hand. Now, the crowd has stepped back a few paces to ensure their safety, but no one step up to help Zell. Secondly, the Behemoth has gathered some kind of barrier between it, Zell, the girls, and the huge crowd, Which is glowing blue.  
  
When Squall and Xu got to the edge of the barrier, the barrier has already eaten away the floor. The ground inside the barrier is now just plain dirt. Zell, however, is seemed to be enjoying this whole thing. Dancing around the Behemoth is one way to see it.  
  
The girls that are with Zell seams ok. All of them are still conscious. But, almost all of them are nursing small wounds. A quick look at Zell shows that he is beginning to tire out. His pace began to slow. He seems to be panting pretty fast. Squall and Xu would have to move fast.  
  
"Let's charge it up!" Xu nervously called out.  
  
"Right!" Squall said back, and took out his Gun Blade. At the same time, Xu took out her Cross Bow.  
  
"Ready?" Xu asked.  
  
Squall shook his head in approval. He took his Gun Blade and placed it very close to the arrow.  
  
"Turn your head." Squall said. Xu did so. Squall looked away too. He pulled the trigger.  
  
A sudden shock ran through the handle of the Gun Blade. Than, the Handle turned warm. This is normal, though, for Squall's Gun Blade.  
  
When it stopped, Squall turned around. The arrow is glowing with blue energy.  
  
"Wow." Xu said in amazement.  
  
"Hurry!" Squall said urgently. "Shoot it! Or it'll blow!"  
  
Xu took aim at the Behemoth, now is raged because it was not able to catch Zell. She let the arrow fly.  
  
The arrow flew past the barrier without even slowing down, and struck itself straight into the flesh of the Behemoth. With a clash of Lightning, the Behemoth shrieked with pain as hundreds of volts of electric rushed through its body. Finally, after a violent jerk, the Behemoth finally fell to its stomach.  
  
A great sigh came out of Squall. He put away his Gun Blade, and walked slowly toward Zell. Xu was already with her friends, helping them up. Zell was sitting on the ground. His whole face was so sweaty that it's like if he just came from a dive at the pool.  
  
Squall held out a hand. "You alright?"  
  
"I'm alright. You missed the fun!" Zell stood up.  
  
"That's fun? What else do you do for fun?" Squall asked, having a little laughter.  
  
The Garden's teachers finally showed up, with Sid, the Garden's headmaster in the lead.  
  
"What happened here? Who's responsible?" Sid said just as he stopped running.  
  
Sid is a pretty likable person. He's more like an uncle to anyone in the Garden than a headmaster. With a little reading glass, and a pocket watch, at first glance, you might call him old-fashioned. But, he is really into simulation, and space movies, to name a few.  
  
"It was a little accident," Zell quickly started to explain. "That I stumbled onto Professor Norg's new pet. And it happened to chase me all around the Garden."  
  
"And," Sid countered. "With this 'accident' include stumble into the underground basement, where students are not permitted?"  
  
"Well, uh…yeah…I guess so…" Zell started to stutter.  
  
"At least you're honest." Sid plainly said out.  
  
Sid is known to do this. When ever you did some thing wrong and were caught by him. He would question you. If you say something he liked to hear, he would forgive you. If not, you are in bad luck.  
  
"Come. You gotta go to the doctor." Sid said as some people, under Norg's surveillance, carried the Behemoth away. "You guys too, Squall, Xu."  
  
Both of them obediently follow the girls and Zell to the Infirmary.  
  
"Ouch! Watch it, man!"  
  
Another yelp of complaint came from Zell inside the doctor's office. The doc has treated the girls, and now, Zell none-stop all afternoon. Squall is beginning to think of if the doc like his job a little too much. Yet, the doc kept on going with out stopping.  
  
"Don't complain in front of the girls." Sid said, looking up from his magazine. "Even a cadet shouldn't be that sissy."  
  
The girls let out a burst of giggles.  
  
Squall, Xu, and Sid waited outside in the guestroom. Squall was standing in the corner. Xu was sitting on the chair a few feet from Squall, deep within thoughts. Sid was pretty calm; he's reading a Magazine called "Occult Fan Monthly", a magazine about rare phenomenon in the world.  
  
A minute later, Zell came out with a heavily bandaged right arm.  
  
"Ahh…" Zell exhaled. "A few days of relaxation."  
  
"You're lucky that Xu stopped the Behemoth, or you'll have no arm left." Sid pointed out.  
  
"No… it was Squall idea. He should get the credit." Xu said quietly  
  
"Any ways, you both did a great job subduing that Behemoth." Sid Recited. He took out his notebook and wrote down something. "Let's see…Usually, I'd pay Norg 2000Gil to take care of the monsters…and, usually…he'll have about 2 break outs each month, and…that'll leave 1000Gil for one…add that…divided by that…and it will leave you and Xu split from 1500Gil… Is that enough?"  
  
Xu eyes lit up, and she broke into a smile she hadn't had it the last hour.  
  
"Well, when you guys are rested up, you can go back to your dorm. You are all excused from your classes today." Sid said as he got up. "I'll be in the office if you have any problems." And he left.  
  
They stayed in the room until Zell and the girls are rested up, they left the Infirmary. Xu asked Zell and the girls to go on, and wanted Squall to stay behind.  
  
Squall said goodbye to Zell. The moment he turned around, Xu embraced him with a hug.  
  
Them held on to each other for some time. Squall was very stiff when she let go.  
  
"Don't waste your money." Xu said. "You'll need it for our date." Then, she ran off toward the dorms.  
  
----------------------------------  
  
A few days have past. There is five days left until the Final Exam. The team has been made. The Zell asked the someone the day he is able to take off the bandages on his arm. Squall and Xu is a team, and they will join Zell's team the day of the exam.  
  
All is well. They have no classes until the day before the exam. Right now, they are just enjoying the last days that they will be students. After the exam, and if they pass, they will become a full-fledge SeeD member. After that, he will be able to get revenge for his parents.  
  
His date with Xu is today. He has been getting ready since he woke up at six in the morning. He has been getting help from Zell. They have been in the library all morning. Not to study. Zell recited every tip that he knows about dating. From how to open a door, to how to compliment the lady. Squall listened to all of the stuff he said. Until every detail is memorized, it's almost noon, the time of the date.  
  
They are going to Balamb, just like in the letter Xu wrote. Xu said that she got the details, you just be yourself, and wear something causal. Squall didn't know what he got is causal. So he just went in a denim jacket and black khaki.  
  
When he arrive at Xu's door, Squall was trembling from head to toe. But, he has to do this. He knocked on the door three times, and waited.  
  
The door opened, and Xu stood there. She wasn't dressed that casual. She was in an elegant lavender color dress. Her features were, to squall, perfect.  
  
"Hello." Squall said. "You look… bewitching today." This was a line Zell taught him.  
  
"Thank you..." Xu said. Her face blushed to a shade of pink.  
  
She stepped out of the doorway, and walked slowly toward the main hall. Squall followed beside her.  
  
"So," Squall asked her. "What thing do you have planned for us today?"  
  
"Well…" Xu stretched her word. "You'll see when we get there. But I'll bet you will love it."  
  
"I'm loving it right now." Another line came to Squall's mind.  
  
Xu blushed a bit. But she didn't say anything.  
  
They walked together, and stopped at the main gate, where a car is waiting. At the Garden, you can rent a car for just 100Gil, pretty inexpensive for a student.  
  
He opened the door for Xu. She smiled, and got in. Squall got into the driver's seat. Xu was looking at a little piece of paper. When She saw Squall get in, she quickly stuffed it into her purse.  
  
Squall didn't ask what it is. He drove the car out the gate, and into the green meadow.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
©( Copyright Omega 2000-2002. All text is the property of Authors Tao Li and Jeanie Owen. All rights reserved. 


	3. Chapter 3

1 Chapter Three  
  
  
  
The road to Balamb was pretty long, though, the security was really heavy. About once every half an hour there was a checkpoint. The Garden had to take extreme caution of bring to the Garden illegal stuff, and stop anyone from smuggling valuable creatures from the Garden.  
  
But, Xu and Squall made the trip. Squall's driving isn't very good, with the fact that he practiced at the simulation room in the Garden for about a couple of hours. In his luck, There isn't a lot of traffic that day. Or else, he would been crashed a couple of times already.  
  
Other than the fact that animals keep crossing the road in front of them, the ride was pretty smooth. They enjoyed the scenery. There are a lot of waterfalls, which Squall and Xu stopped to rest at one. They had to go into some canyons on the trip. One of them is so deep, that they couldn't even see the light at the top. There were bridges that were so high, that they were as though driving on cloud. There were tunnels to pass through that were so long, one of them lasted a good twenty minutes.  
  
They talked almost all the way through the trip. They talked about their friends, their classes, their hobbies, and their favorite memories. At one time, Xu was so sleepy, that she fell asleep right there on the front seat. Squall stopped at the side of the road and took a little rest too. He was really nervous that he said something that shouldn't be said. But, Xu seemed really relaxed talking to him and all.  
  
After a three-hour trip, they finally saw the ocean. Both of them let out a big sigh at the same time. They curiously looked at each other, and laughed.  
  
Balamb was within their sights. Squall tried again to squeeze out what they are going to do.  
  
"So, what are we gonna do on this …beautiful day?"  
  
"You'll find out when we get there… Well, it has something to do with the Final Exam." Xu replied.  
  
"Really?…" Squall stretch the word. "Like what?" He tried again.  
  
"Like I said," Xu laughed. "You'll see."  
  
Finally, they are back in civilization again. Squall has been in Balamb before. It was with Zell last time they were permitted to go. They visited Zell's mother at his house. Balamb is really comfortable compared to the Garden. It has everything a big city need. It has a harbor, a shopping center, grand hotel, train station, and an airport. But, Balamb is small. It is almost as big as Balamb Garden.  
  
Xu directed Squall, who is driving the car, to drive past the shopping center, past the train station and airport, and they stopped at a fancy and old looking one-story building. She told him to park the car at the side of the road.  
  
"Well," Xu said with a sigh. "We're here.'  
  
Squall got out of the car, and quickly got to the other side. He opened the door, and extended out his right hand.  
  
"Thank you." Xu said as she took his hand and, got out of the car. "This," She started saying. "Is the house of the Master Materia. She is said to have nearly every magic Materia there is."  
  
"Really? I wonder if he'll give me some of his Materia."  
  
Xu smiled. "That's what we are here for." She walked toward the door of the house.  
  
"You know this guy?" Squall asked, quickly following her.  
  
"She's not a guy. And yes, I know her." Xu replied. "I have my connections."  
  
"Ohh…" Squall said.  
  
The house was decorated with ancient looking statues of mystical creatures, and hieroglyphics that looked oddly like animals. The front door was really tall. It is about as tall as the Behemoth they fought.  
  
When they walked in, the stuff inside was totally different, and from way different centuries. There are monitors all along the walls of the house. A high captain chair in the middle of the room, which is surrounded by mazes of switches and buttons. Each monitor projected a different monster, all of them seemed to be in their own habitat.  
  
"Wow." Squall gasped with amazement.  
  
"Yeah," Xu said. "I did the exactly same thing the first time I came here."  
  
Xu sat down on a chair near the entrance. "You better sit here too. She doesn't like to be disturbed while mediating."  
  
As Xu said, he sat down next to her. He turned toward Xu. "How come I've never heard of… What's her name?"  
  
"Her name is Julia." Xu said. "You don't know her because she is suppose to stay in this house, and nobody is suppose to know about her. But, you know, secrets always leak out. Year after year, there are visitors come here to look at her Materia, and sometime tried steal them. But, Julia always manages to stop them somehow.  
  
"She's been here for thirty years, and she's getting old. She needs to let someone else to keep her Materias. So, she sent a letter to Sid, asking him to send top students to come here to receive Materias. So he sent me and some other students here to receive one. And, here's mine."  
  
She took out a blue stone from her pocket. It was inscribed with hieroglyphics, much like the ones outside the door. Squall recognized the symbol.  
  
"Isn't that Leviathan?! The summoning Materia!?" Squall gasped with excitement. And he cleared his throat "I saw it once in a magazine."  
  
He knows that there's a lot of summoning Materias. But he has never seen one real life. They are supposed to be very rare and they are difficult to get.  
  
"Yup." Xu said proudly. "And you're here to get your own."  
  
"But, the bad thing is, that you gotta take this back here to regenerate every two and a half week." Xu said with a little disappointment. "Which totally messed up my last dress rehearsal…"  
  
They waited there for about half an hour. Xu walked around the room for a bit, looking at the monitors. Finally, a clang in the back door broke the silence that hang in the air.  
  
A woman in her eighties appeared from behind the door. She is dressed really old-fashioned. It's like that she was from fifty years ago.  
  
"Hello, Miss Julia." Xu said respectively.  
  
Squall stood up, and walked to the side of Xu.  
  
"Ahh… Xu is it? How is it, my child?" The old lady said in a scratchy voice.  
  
"I'm good, Miss Julia."  
  
Julia walked in front of Squall, and scanned him up and down.  
  
"And who is this young man?"  
  
"This is a friend of mine. His name is Squall." Xu introduced.  
  
"Unless my eyes deceives me." The old lady said. "He is a very well dressed young man. Don't see them every often"  
  
"Yeah," Xu said. Her face blushing "I guess."  
  
Julia circled Squall and Xu once, and stopped in front of them again.  
  
"You must be here to regenerate Leviathan, Is it?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And you," She said to Squall. "Must be here to get a Materia, is that right?"  
  
"Yeah." Squall answered causally.  
  
"Hmm…" Julia turned, and walked toward the back door. Xu followed, and so did Squall.  
  
The back yard is full of life. Exotic plants were growing everywhere. Occasionally, creature which Squall never seen before pop out from behind bushes.  
  
"This is my home, as you know." Julia said. "This is also where I keep all my Materias."  
  
Squall frowned a bit. When Summoning Magic is not in use, they are supposed to be far away, not staying with its owner. Squall turned to look at Xu, but she is listening attentively.  
  
"The Materias I own, mostly Summoning Materias, are embedded in this fountain." Julia pointed to a Fountain in the center of the small garden. It's just like a regular fountain. But, inside, It's full of Materia stones.  
  
"Sid told me about the break out at the Garden. It was an unfortunate accident. But, thank goodness, you two were there."  
  
Xu tilted down her head, and smiled.  
  
"And," Julia said. "He sent me a letter telling me all about it. He's saying that you," She pointed at Squall. "Are good enough to earn one of my Materia."  
  
"Yeah, sure." Squall answered.  
  
She turned around, and froze.  
  
"Miss Julia? Are you all-"  
  
But before Xu could finish, Julia, though an old lady, swung a bamboo stick that was in her hand heavily at Squall.  
  
Squall, for being a quick hand, drew out his Gun Blade, and blocked the stick on the side of the blade. He didn't want to hurt the old lady if he had cut the bamboo stick.  
  
Julia relaxed the grip of her hand, and let the stick drop down to her waist.  
  
"When you fight, you shouldn't be soft on your opponent. Even if… she is an old lady." Julia said.  
  
Xu laughed a bit when she said that.  
  
"Well," She turned to Squall. "It's your pick."  
  
Squall walked slowly toward the fountain, and knelt down to get a better look at them. He did know much Materias, so he just closed his eyes, rambled through the stone, and picked one.  
  
"Ah…" Julia quickly took the stone from his hand. "This is one of my favorites."  
  
She walked quickly back into the house. Squall got up, and walked after Xu into it to.  
  
They went back into the house. The old lady was placing the stone in a kind of examining machine. She pressed on a button on the machine. The machine began to make strange kind of noise, and the stone began to glow icy-blue. Then, the machine whirled to a stop.  
  
"Meet Shiva, the Ice elemental Summoning Materia." Julia said.  
  
All the screens on the walls blinked to the same picture. A human figured creature rotated on the spot. It is much like a woman, but with ice-blue colored skin, her eyes are piercing blue. Instead of hair, she has thin sheets of ice hanging down to her knee.  
  
"This is an very good Materia." Julia said, looking at it. "It has very little experience. But, its attack, Diamond Dust, is really powerful."  
  
She took the stone out of the machine, and gave it to Squall. Xu was at his side, looking at it with great excitement.  
  
"When you want to use it, put the words "Diamond Dust" in your mind." Julia said.  
  
"Thank You." Squall said. The stone felt very cold, as though it just came out of a freezer. He quickly put it into his pocket.  
  
They waited for Xu's Leviathan to be regenerated. They looked at the different Materias that Julia has. Julia generously opened her most treasured belongings. They stopped on a collection of different amulets.  
  
"Wow!" Xu exclaimed. "This is beautiful!" She picked up a small, silver ring.  
  
"Oh, man. Look at this." Squall picked up a silver chain, with a pendant hanging on to it.  
  
"These are some of my collections of Griever relics." Julia explained.  
  
"Griever?" Xu said curiously.  
  
"The Griever is the ultimate Summoning Materia. It is also called the Silver Lion. That what you people get your name."  
  
"Really?…" Xu said.  
  
Julia picked up a bracelet, and chuckled. "I used to collect these stuff when I was young. Now, they're just precious metal. People like you who come here always try to steal one of them."  
  
"That's awful." Xu said disapprovingly.  
  
"It doesn't really matter." Julia said with a wave of her hand. "I was just about to ask you guys if you want one."  
  
"Really!?" Xu asked. "Oh, oh, can I have this one?" She pointed at the ring.  
  
"Yeah. Sure. Take anything ." Julia said. "I'm going to give them away anyway."  
  
"I guess I'll have this one." Squall said , holding the chain.  
  
Xu, though, kept going. "I'll have this one , this one. Oh, and I gotta have this…"  
  
Squall walked toward the screens where they kept flashing with pictures. One of them caught Squall's eyes. It also, looked human, like Squall's Shiva. Its whole body is cover with the colors black and red. It has huge, black wings, and its face is barely visible because it was covered with some kind of mask. It kind of reminds Squall of a bat.  
  
"Miss Julia." Squall called out.  
  
Julia walked slowly toward him. "Yes?"  
  
"What's that?" Squall pointed to the creature, now flying away.  
  
"That's Diablos, a Summon." Julia said, kind of painful. "It took me five months to get that one. It's very hard to control it."  
  
"Wow." Squall said. "How many Summoning Materia do you have?"  
  
"Now, about twenty-seven."  
  
"It must be a really hard job." Squall said, while looking at the monitors.  
  
"No. Not really if you put your mind into it."  
  
Xu is finally done picking out her accessories.  
  
"Need a bag." Said Squall.  
  
"No, thanks." Xu said, while smiling. "I've got my own." She took out her hand bag, and poured a handful of rings, bracelets, and necklaces into her bag.  
  
Xu's Ifrit is finally done recharging. Julia gave it back to her.  
  
They left through the front door.  
  
"Visit often." Julia said.  
  
"We will." Squall answered.  
  
They finally got back into their car. Xu took out the ring she first got, and put it on her finger.  
  
"Put on yours, Squall." She said.  
  
Squall took out the chain from his pocket, and put it around his neck. The pendent was a picture of Griever's head. It's pretty heavy, so Squall guessed it is must made of pure silver.  
  
Squall started the car. Xu, this time directed Squall to a restaurant. A guy valet parked their car, and Squall, looking strangely formal, walked Xu in.  
  
Dinner went on smoothly, they talked about the Exam, about what they think is going to be, about what they might face, and what they do to finish the job. They had mostly sea food. Squall really liked the food there. Xu seemed to like it to, though it's very expensive.  
  
"So, how do you like her?" Xu asked.  
  
"She's alright." Squall answered.  
  
"I know some where we could go tomorrow. It's a little beach around here. It has the most beautiful lagoons you've ever seen!"  
  
Squall shook his hand. "How about after the exam. I have my head stuck in it way too deep to be doing something else."  
  
"Ok. How 'bout the second day after?"  
  
"That'll be fine."  
  
They finished the dinner at about 7 at night. Xu was very sleepy, she sat in the back and rested. Squall on the other hand, wasn't. He drove all the way back without yawning.  
  
When they stopped at the Garden's garage, Squall woke Xu up, and walked her back to her dorm. They said good night. With a long hug, Xu closed the door.  
  
Squall sighed, and walked slowly backed to his dorm, half asleep.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
©( Copyright Omega 2000-2002. All text is the property of Authors Tao Li and Jeanie Owen. All rights reserved. 


	4. Chapter 4

0x08 graphic  
  
It's the day of the Final Exam. Squall has trained hard for this moment. Yet, he is still nervous.  
  
He and Zell came out of their room, fully dresses in their battle uniform. It was black with yellow edged jacket. They have just worn them just once before: when they were just accepted in Balamb Garden.  
  
"Arya ready, man?" Zell said, with a tremble in his voice.  
  
"Whatever." Squall said silently.  
  
Squall has a lot on his mind right now. Everything from his parents, to Xu. He just felt that he wasn't ready for this.  
  
"Aw, com'on! Is not that you'll die or anything. The worst thing that might happen is that they drag you outta there with a chopper." Zell reassured him. "Unless you're eaten up by whatever's in there..."  
  
"Thank you so much for telling me that." Squall sad sarcastically.  
  
They were supposed to meet everyone in the hall, but Zell wanted to make a detour to a friend of his, which is a year behind them.  
  
"What up, man?" Zell greeted him when they met him.  
  
"Yo, check these stuff out!" The person said as he took something out of his pocket. It was a summoning stone. A picture of a yellow bird was engraved on it.  
  
"This is Quesacoatl, the thunder summon. Yours for 500 Gil. Deal?"  
  
"Why not?" Zell took out some coins, and handed them to the guy. "  
  
Squall was really inpatient. They were supposed to meet with Xu and the other girl out in the hall five minutes ago.  
  
"Lets go. We're late." Squall  
  
"The word are Thunder Storm, alright? Say that when you want to use it." The guy said as he was walking away. " Recharge them whenever you can." Than, he ran.  
  
"What does he mean `Recharge Them'?" Zell said.  
  
"Tell you later. We gotta hurry up. we're late."  
  
They hurried back toward the hall. Now everybody is gathering there to be briefed of their assignment.  
  
"Over here!" Someone called to them.  
  
"This way, man!" Zell said, pointing to where Xu and a girl were.  
  
Xu was leaning against a pole while the other girl was waving furiously at them.  
  
Squall and Zell ran to where they were waiting for them.  
  
"Where were you guys. We were really worried." Xu said.  
  
"We...uh, had a little delay. That's all." Squall said.  
  
"No matter now that you guys made it." The other girl said.  
  
"And you are..." Squall asked.  
  
"Oh." Zell said "This is Selphie. Remember the exchange student I told you about? Well, here she is! Selphie, this is Squall."  
  
"Hi!" Sephie said. "I've already met Xu. You must like her a lot, huh?"  
  
Xu's face blushed as red as a peach.  
  
"Right..." Squall muttered. "So, when do we leave?"  
  
"They haven't passed out our instructions yet." Selphie said  
  
"We are suppose to go to Fire Cavern... Which spells do you guys have?" Squall asked the group. They did this before every exam as preparation.  
  
"I have Cure, Silence, and Protect. And The Leviathan." Xu said.  
  
"So...You'll be in defensive mode all the way with Protect and Cure. Except with your Summon. We'll need to use that, since it's effective against fire." Squall analyzed.  
  
"Woh, slow down, man." Zell said confusingly.  
  
"How about you, Selphie?"  
  
"I got Fire, Shell, and Holy." Selphie said proudly.  
  
"You got Holy?! Damn, girl! Where the hell `d you get that?" Zell shouted out with amazement.  
  
"In my old school, Tribia Garden." Selphie said.  
  
"Okay... Fire will be useless in there, so don't bother using it. Shell is ok when they start casting Magic. Holy should be useful since most fire creature are demons."  
  
"Zell, your turn." Squall said  
  
"Thunder, Vanish, and Quesacoatl Summon."  
  
"Both Thunder and Quesacoatl isn't that much... though Vanish will be useful if it gets too physical, since it makes you invisible."  
  
"How `bout you, Squall?" Selphie asked.  
  
"Oh, I got Blizzard, Cure, Demi, And Shiva Summon."  
  
"Why do you guys all got a Summon?" Selphie said, kind of jealously.  
  
"Well...that's because... uh... we're...really, really good students!" Zell quickly said.  
  
"Yeah right." Squall said under his breath.  
  
They waited for quite some time when Cid finally walked toward them from the elevator, with Quistis, Ridder, Chaine, and Norg.  
  
"Welcome, all hopefuls of Silver Lions and Falcons. This is it!" Cid blasted out his voice from the microphone. "This is the last Exam you'll ever have for Balamb Garden!"  
  
Everyone applauded and cheered.  
  
"This will be a milestone for all of you, if you are able to past this test. The test will be stationed in either the Fire Cavern or Ice Cave, Depending on your ID Number. You should be acknowledged of you destination by your teachers.  
  
"On this exam," Cid said. "You will not, I repeat, will not be having our assistance in combat. If the worst of the worst situation comes, One of you team members will radio us, the teachers, which will be stationed on either location's entrance, will provide rescue efforts. You will also radio us every, every ten minutes that you are in there, or points will be deducted from your whole team. So remember that."  
  
Cid walked over to Ridder, and took a small case from him.  
  
"This will be your medical case. One will be passed out to every team. It contains a radio, five Potions, two Hi-Potions, two Phoenix Downs. Potions cure you members of injuries. Just inject them into your necks, like this." Cid put the tube-like thing against his neck.  
  
"Phoenix Downs will be able to revive your team mates. You'll have to put these tablets into their mouth, and tilt their head back in order to let them swallow."  
  
"When you run out of Phoenix Downs, and a person faints, radio us to called for a rescue team, and we will take that person out of the exam. When there are less than three people on you team at any moment, you will return to the entrance, and you are to form teams again with other two-person group, is that clear?"  
  
The crowd murmured in agreement.  
  
"And of course, the last thing..."  
  
"Try not to get killed." All of them continued dully.  
  
"Precisely. Now, please line up outside and wait to board your transport. Further detail will be debriefed as you approach your destination. Good Luck."  
  
They went inside their transport, which is more like a floating sub. The deck was made of steel plank. A small door was placed on the side of the ship. They went into the cabin, and found their place in there, and sat down.  
  
"That's it! The last debrief we'll ever hear from him again." Zell sighed."  
  
"Hey!" Xu said as she walked around in the cabin. "Don't be insulting him. Sid's a nice man."  
  
"Oh that little..." Zell garbled silently.  
  
"What'd you say?" Xu said sharply.  
  
"What?"  
  
Selphie leaned over to Squall and whispered, "You know what? Maybe they should be the perfect couple."  
  
"Unhuh." Squall said mindlessly. He was nervous, really nervous. He was shivering, though the warm ocean wind was blowing in his face.  
  
He looked down, and saw his silver chain. He held it in his hand. The smooth surface was cold and sparkled under the light. I have to do this, he thought, my parents are counting on me.  
  
"Atten hut!" The pilot said as he spring up from his seat. "Captain on deck!"  
  
Everyone scrambled to their position. Squall moved from his spot, and stood behind Xu.  
  
Quistis walked slowly walked up to the deck. She stopped at the projector on the far side of the cabin.  
  
"At ease." She said. "Sit down, please."  
  
Everyone took their seat, and looked at Quistis.  
  
"Everybody, this mission is different from what you guys did before. You're goal for this mission is to retrieve a stone from inside the Fire Cavern. It's very simple. You will follow a trail to deep inside the cave, until you see a platform, which the stones will be placed upon. You may encounter monsters while you're in there, so you better got your spells and weapon ready. There are one, two, three, four, five, five teams. The mission will take two and a half hours to complete for the all of us, which means your whole team will complete the task within half an hour. You will not leave anybody in the cave by themselves. You will radio me when anybody faints and you are unable to revive him or her. That is not a request; that is an order! Understand?"  
  
"Yes, ma'am!" Everyone answered in unison.  
  
"Alright...Take her away, captain."  
  
"Yes ma'am." The pilot said, and retreated to the pilot seat.  
  
"Ladies and gents!" Pilot blasted through the loudspeaker. "Remain in your seats until we past the sonic boom!"  
  
Quistis sat down into a seat next to Squall, which made Squall fell a bit more nervous.  
  
Squall felt the ship slowly took air and he saw Balamb Garden became smaller and smaller. They accelerated until they cleared the small island. Squall held tight on the handle.  
  
"Sonic speed in three! Two! One!"  
  
Squall was pushed deep into his seat as he took in the G-force. He took a scan around the cabin. Xu and Selphie were sitting together. They were squinting their eyes, holding onto their seat, careful not to open their mouth, or else, they would stay open until they surpass the speed of sound. Zell was next to him. He is very used to this. He was making faces with he mouth open, looking like an idiot.  
  
The next second, it was over. The shield has taken effect, and they were clear of the barrier of sound.  
  
Squall loved this. There was silence except for the low hum of the engine. Everything was so peaceful, and quiet. This was the perfect moment for them to psyche themselves up. Every one took a corner of the cabin, closed their eyes, and concentrated. Quistis taught them this. It was pretty effective for Squall, since he had passed every test he had ever taken.  
  
After fifteen minutes, the cabin was filled with short, quiet conversations. Nobody was joking around. Except when Zell told himself a joke and laughed himself silly. Squall hit him in the ribs, and he stopped, with a pained look on his face.  
  
"You know what?" Zell said after five minutes of silence. "To hell with this mission! Why don't we just jump out right now?"  
  
"You're joking, right?"  
  
All of them looked up, and saw Quistis looking down at them.  
  
"Uh... That depends..." Zell said quietly.  
  
"Don't be nervous." Quistis sat down at where they huddled.  
  
"Why shouldn't we be?" Selphie mumbled suddenly. "I mean, come-on. This mission determines our futures as SeeDs here!"  
  
"Why should you be? I haven't been a teacher that long. I started teaching a year before you guys first came in. I been here all the time before that." Quistis closed her eyes, as if trying to recall her memory. "But I don't remember much of me at the Garden..."  
  
"You know what, I don't remember anything about when I first came in neither." Xu said. "It's like, just before Sid mentioned anything about the finals, my memory started blacking out..."  
  
They stayed silenced again. Quistis stood up after a few minutes.  
  
"Alright, we are almost there. I'll be in the cockpit."  
  
Another shiver went through Squall's spine. He closed his eyes, and focused again. He has to stay concentrated. Or else, he'll be no good to the team.  
  
"Ok, everybody!" The pilot said again through the speaker. "Get off yo butts! Approaching target!"  
  
-----------------------  
  
"Move! Move! Move!" The senior SeeD yelled at them when the shuttle opened the door out. "Hustle! You guys are the weakest bunch of sissies I've ever seen! Damn it, move!.  
  
All of them thrust themselves out of the door.  
  
"Line up in your team order, now!"  
  
Quistis walked slowly out the door.  
  
"Hey! Quis! How are you doing?" The guy that screamed in their face said calmly to Quistis.  
  
"Not too bad, Bruce." Quistis answered. "How's the island been treating you?"  
  
"Quis? Who does the guy think he is?" Zell whispered.  
  
"You boy!" The guy turned and yelled, and walked quickly into Zell's face. "What'd you say?!"  
  
"N-n-nothing!." Zell stammered.  
  
"Oh really?! Let me tell you boy! While I'm conducting business, you don't give ifs of buts about it. Its that clear?"  
  
"Yes..." Zell answered miserably.  
  
"IS THAT CLEAR!?!"  
  
"Yes, sir!"  
  
"My name is Sargent Tro! And on this island, I am God! Is that clear!?"  
  
"Yes sir!" Everyone answered in unison.  
  
"You should know your mission! Now all of you, get your butts down that road. Now march!"  
  
The island is bare with red sand and it looks uninhabited. The only evidence of life is a little cabin on the far side of the island. There is barely any vegetation on the Island. The only greens you can find are cactus that scatters around in the red sand.  
  
The trail lead them further into the island and stopped at the side of a mountain. The most of the people collapsed the minute the stopped. Squall and Zell were bending down, trying to catch their breath. Selphie and Xu were on one knee, both breathing very hard.  
  
"Get up straight, you wimps!" The Sargent ordered. "If that tires you out, you shouldn't even be here! Get up! All of you!"  
  
"Alright Bruce. Give them a break." Quistis said.  
  
Squall stood up straight, and took a quick scan of the place. They've stopped in front of a huge brown rock, which seemed to stick out of the sand like it was thrown there. A small crack yielded the entrance to the cave.  
  
"Ok," Quistis said. "Gather `round!"  
  
Slowly, every crowded around Quistis and a display board. Some kneeling in the front, some standing in the back.  
  
"Look closely! This is the blue print of the cave!" Bruce said. "You gotta get from point A to point B. clear and simple! That's the easy part! The monsters in this hellhole are fire-based! Hope you brought protection! The one you got to watch out is Ifrit. He's the lord of the cave! You can not escape from him! Hold him off while you call for backup! Got that?!"  
  
"Question! Sir!" Xu raised his hand.  
  
"Granted!"  
  
"How will we know if it's Ifrit, Sir?"  
  
Sargent Tro laughed. "You'll know when you see him!"  
  
"Alright, soldiers! Heaven will be outside when you're done with hell! Quistis, I'm done for now!"  
  
"Guy's, the order of you people going in is randomly selected. First, Cadet Larco's team. Second, Cadet Wilson's team. Third, Cadet Taylor's. Lastly, Squall's team. Go get them, guys!"  
  
© Copyright Omega 2000-2002. All text is the property of Authors Tao Li and Jeanie Owen. All rights reserved.  
  
Chapter Four 


	5. Chapter 5

1 Chapter Five  
  
  
  
Team Larco is as shaken up as Squall's team was. The captain, a rather delicate looking brunette girl, though, was standing at the entrance even before Quistis ordered them that it was their turn. She didn't look scared at all. The minute that Quistis gave her permission to go, she fast walked in, her team followed rather forcefully.  
  
The dead air followed the first team's disappearance into the cave. Everyone didn't feel like talking at all. Squall's team was quieter than ever. Even Zell wasn't joking around any more. They were all sitting on the ground with their heads on their knees. Selphie closed her eyes, and leaned onto Zell's shoulder. Xu's face was pale white. She had her hand wrapped around her lower leg, staring straight at him.  
  
Squall sighed, pity of how nervous Xu looked. He walked slowly toward Xu, and kneeled down next to her.  
  
"How are you doing?" Squall asked.  
  
Xu slowly turned toward him. Her brown eyes were touched with wet tears. She stayed silent.  
  
Squall looked at her straight in the eyes. They reflected with fear and nervousness.  
  
He put a hand on her shoulder. "Everyone's nervous right now. I know this is probably the most important moment in your life…" Squall didn't know how to finish the sentence.  
  
Xu looked away. "You don't know what I've been through to get to this moment…You've never been to where I've been…What I did…"  
  
"Maybe not…" Squall said. "But I've been through some stuff that I wish I'd forget too."  
  
She nodded, and fell into his shoulder. A single drop of tear slithered down her cheek.  
  
A yell from Quistis interrupted their conversation. "Team Larco?! Come in, team Larco!"  
  
Everyone quickly gathered around her. Squall helped Xu up while Zell and Selphie got up too.  
  
"Team Larco!" Quistis yelled again toward the radio.  
  
"What happened?" Squall asked.  
  
"Their transmission was disconnected." Quistis replied.  
  
"What did they say before they lost communication?" A girl from team Taylor asked.  
  
"…Something about a talking monster with horns." Quistis said while tuning the receiver.  
  
Xu gasped. "A Summon."  
  
"What?!" Zell said.  
  
"Only Summons can talk." Xu said quietly.  
  
"Where's Sargent Tro?" A guy asked.  
  
Quistis looked around. "Probably back at the cabin… Darn it!"  
  
"We'll go in there." Squall said suddenly.  
  
"Are you nuts?! It's not even our turn yet!" Zell objected.  
  
"Damn it, Zell! If someone don't go in there, they'll die!" Selphie said to Zell.  
  
"She's right." Quistis said. "I'll go in with you guys." She turned around to the other people. "Stay here. If Bruce comes back, tell him we are in the cave."  
  
"Come on!" Selphie, in the lead, ran into the cave.  
  
------------------------------  
  
The Fire Cavern was even creepier than Squall ever imagined. The air was filled with smells of decayed animals. Sometimes, a strange howl came from deep inside. The ground was littered with loose rock pebbles, which made walking uneasy.  
  
"Ok…Now this some scary looking cave." Selphie said, while clutching on to Zell's arm.  
  
Quistis took the radio and said. "Base. Do you copy? Over."  
  
"Copy, away team." A female voice replied.  
  
"Just testing. We will radio you every five minutes, Copy?" Quistis instructed.  
  
"Copy, Quistis." A scratchy male voice replied.  
  
"Bruce? Where the hell were you?!" Quistis said angrily.  
  
"The ladies room." Bruce replied. "I was briefed with the situation. It's not good. That talking monster is Ifrit. He won't give up until all opponents are eliminated. You may proceed, but only with extreme caution!"  
  
"Copy that." Quistis said, then tucking the radio through her belt. "You heard what he said. Everybody keep your guard up! It might appear at any time. Plus, we need to find team Larco. They might be anywhere in this cave."  
  
Quistis pointed to a winding trail that went deep inside the fiery cavern. "This will take us through the cave and out again. Best chance that they'll be on this trail somewhere. Let's move!"  
  
They half jogged, half fast walked through the cave. As they went deeper, the temperature raised dramatically. The hot and stuffy air was blowing at them from all directions. Squall's forehead was dotted with drops of sweat. He quickly wiped them of with his sleeve.  
  
The lava that is on the either side of the slim trail was splashing against them. The trail closed in as they walk, to a point where they had to hop from a dry spot to another.  
  
The crew was exhausted after the long walking, running, and hopping. Finally, they reached a circular platform with a lava pit in the middle.  
  
"Let's do that again!" Selphie exclaimed. "I love hopscotch!"  
  
"No!" Zell said, while checking the burn marks on his battle boots. "This is when-you-make-a-mistake-you-fry hopscotch."  
  
"Alright!" Quistis announced. This is the half point! I'm surprised that we haven't been attacked yet. You see there." She pointed at a rock that is stuck onto the wall of the cave. "That is your mission objective."  
  
Zell ran up, and snatched the stone. "That was way too easy."  
  
Suddenly, an unexpected shake in the ground knocked all of them off their feet.  
  
"What the heck was that?!" Selphie cried out, while brushing dirt off her mini-skirt.  
  
"Earthquake?" Xu said in a hushed voice.  
  
"No. It's to quick and short to be one." Squall scanned around him, searching for something odd. "Maybe some volcanic activity?"  
  
The second after, Squall wished that he guessed wrong.  
  
Molten lava spit itself out from the pit in the middle. Then, it formed a lava spring over ten feet tall.  
  
"Stand back!" Quistis said. But everyone was already with their back against the wall.  
  
A roar blasted itself from somewhere. The pole of lava slowly lowered itself to the teams shoulder level. On top, an evil, fiery filled figure emerged.  
  
The creature was as twice as tall as Squall. Its horns on its head curved down to the monster's feet. Its yellow eyes were filled with evil and darkness. It bared its long canine fangs to show its ferociousness, then it closed it. Thick, red skin covered the body.  
  
"How dare you…" It spoke. "How dare you invade my terrain!"  
  
Zell said quietly to Quistis. "Are we suppose to answer it?"  
  
Quistis didn't reply. "We are looking for some friends of ours that might be trapped in here."  
  
It roared again. "That will not be tolerated!"  
  
"Have you seen them?" Quistis asked again.  
  
"They are my prisoner now. Now, leave here!"  
  
"Why!?" Xu broke away from her usual self. "What do you think you're doing with my friends!?"  
  
"Hmm." It snorted. "What are you going to do about it, human?"  
  
"Screw this!" Zell jumped. "Let's kill this piece of crud!" He punched air with his metal-plated fighting glove.  
  
The rest took out their weapon too.  
  
Squall swung out his Gun Blade, and slashed around him, and stopping in battle position. Quistis's Chain Whip was withdrawn. Its sharpened tip glistened against the burning lava around them. Xu took the Crossbow that swung at her side, and took aim. Sephie drew an uneasy weapon; a Nachaku, two large metal club, linked by a chain.  
  
"Stupid humans…"  
  
"If you're calling us stupid," Selphie said, while swinging her weapon. "Why don't you try us and find out!"  
  
Ifrit thrust it's head upward, and breathed a jet of scorching inferno. "…I will."  
  
It charged at them full speed.  
  
"Watch out!" Squall yelled. But, it was too late.  
  
The monster's horn contacted with Xu's mid-section. She flew backwards, and hit the ground with a thud.  
  
"Quistis! Mighty Guard!" Squall signaled Quistis for her spell.  
  
She crossed her arms on her chest, closed her eyes, and muttered something under her breath, and spread out her arms. A bright sphere lifted from in front of her, and ascended high above. It exploded into a thin covering of glowing material. It covered itself around the team.  
  
"Xu!" Squall said while crouched next to her, his hand holding her head up.  
  
Blood stained her uniform at the waist into a dark crimson shade. Her eyes barely open. "…Sorry… I have…failed…" Her eyes closed.  
  
"No!!" Squall screamed.  
  
"It's alright. She just fainted." Quistis said.  
  
"Quistis. Get Xu out of here…We'll take care of this beast."  
  
She nodded. Whisper of a float spell, Xu's motionless body levitated off the ground. With a point of finger, she gently floated away.  
  
"…Good luck." Quistis said, and ran after the gliding body.  
  
The spell Mighty Guard has expired. Squall straightened up, and pointed his Gun Blade at Ifrit "You will pay for Xu!"  
  
"Yeah!" Zell boasted. "You will pay for hurting Squall's girlfriend!"  
  
Ifrit shook his head. "You just don't know when to give up…Give me your best shoot!"  
  
_________________________________________  
  
"Bastard!" Zell yelled as he retreated from an unsuccessful attack.  
  
"Ifrit!" Selphie said with rage. "Why don't you give up while you have the chance!"  
  
"You humans don't understand anything!" It roared. "I haven't even show you my true powers!"  
  
Following that, It rose higher into the air. Blasting streams of fire everywhere, scorching everyone with fire and molten lava.  
  
"Ahhh…" Selphie screamed. And collapsed onto the ground, face first.  
  
"Selphie!" Zell cried, rushing to her side.  
  
Squall, while backing away, murmured a Blizzard spell. A huge Iceberg materialized on top of Ifrit. With full force, slammed itself down toward the creature. It staggered a bit, but it regained it's footing.  
  
"Why won't you puny humans listen!"  
  
"…Because we know better than give up to you." Squall answered with a grin.  
  
"You will pay for disturbing me!" Ifrit said. It rose high and preparing to strike again.  
  
Zell got up from Selphie's unanimated body. Trembling from anger, he pointed a finger at the floating enemy. "No… You will pay."  
  
Before it got the chance to response, Zell was running right toward it. Ifrit shot a Fire spell. A ball of flame ejected it self from its hand.  
  
Zell was quick to counter. His left arms extended , bolts of yellow launched from the hand. It contacted the scorching lava and deflects it from its course, and on to the wall of the cave.  
  
Zell didn't decelerate his pace, still at full speed for the devilish monster.  
  
He had reached Ifrit's last line of defense. A Reflect shield. That didn't stop Zell from his assault. Powered by rage and hungry for revenge, he threw punch after punch, haymaker after haymaker. But, the shield just didn't penetrate.  
  
Squall stood off ground of the action. Watching he friend pounding the shield, he wanted to help. Suddenly, the Behemoth trouble at the Garden gave him an idea.  
  
He remembered how the arrow was charged with thunder energy, and the shield that was around the Behemoth gave away.  
  
He set Selphie at a safe distance away, and rushed toward Zell.  
  
"Retreat." Squall said shortly.  
  
Zell didn't. Still pounding away as if he did not hear him.  
  
"I have a plan, now retreat!" He said again.  
  
Backing away, Zell rubbed his knuckles. "Damn that frigging shield!"  
  
Squall swung his Gun Blade, as if readying to attack again. "Give me your Thunder Materia. I've got a plan."  
  
Zell removed a little stone from his waist, and threw it to Squall.  
  
The weapons made by Balamb used in battle are designed to charge elemental properties. The handle of Squall's Gun Blade was encrusted with a gap for placing Materia stones.  
  
Squall slammed the stone in place. "Stand fast." He said to Zell.  
  
Pointing the tip at Ifrit he hissed, "You're about to taste my Gun Blade, Ifrit!"  
  
He advanced toward it. First walking, than paced to a run. The shield closed in as he moved toward it. Squall brought the blade over his shoulder, and brought it down hard, slamming the shield. It contacted the barrier with force, stopping in mid-air.  
  
He pulled the trigger.  
  
Shockwaves of thunder emitted from the contacting point, surging until it swallowed the whole reflect shield.  
  
"Nice!" Zell exclaimed. "Now he's trapped!"  
  
Squall backed away to where Selphie was. Zell quickly followed.  
  
She's now awaked, but still out of energy. They both crouched down next to her.  
  
Selphie turned her head toward Zell. "Is it gone?"  
  
Squall grinned. "Do you want to land the final blow?"  
  
"What are you saying…"  
  
She finally understood.  
  
Standing up with Zell's help, Nachaku in hand, She stared the beast straight in its eyes.  
  
"This is for Xu, and me." She took something out of her clothes, and threw it up in the air. Closing her eyes, she pointed at Ifrit.  
  
The white stone glowed milky white, and slowly glided toward the globe of electric energy. It stopped at the edge of it.  
  
Meanwhile, Ifrit was trying to break through the barrier. But each time it rammed it with it's sharp horns, the shield shocked the monster with volts of static. It was helpless.  
  
The sphere of white remained still. Selphie raise the Nachaku over head, and twirled it like a baton. The orb took the shape of a rod, and spun itself until it was blurred to resemble a circle. She suddenly halted the spinning and thrust the weapon into the air.  
  
Instantly, the white rod became separated into many small spheres, and they surrounded Ifrit. The beast looked around him. Seeing the attack that was about to take place, realizing his fate, finally said, "I was wrong! You are superior! But please, I beg for forgiveness.!"  
  
Selphie did nothing.  
  
Squall looked on as the spheres closed in on Ifrit at breakneck speed. The white orbs mashed together into a huge globe. Squall can hear the painful howl of the beast.  
  
"You've proved you're worthy." A voice, not Ifrit's, said.  
  
"Who's there?! Answer me!" Zell questioned.  
  
The globe of thunder turned red, and exploded.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
©( Copyright Omega 2000-2002. All text is the property of Authors Tao Li and Jeanie Owen. All rights reserved. 


	6. Chapter 6

1 Chapter Six  
  
  
  
…  
  
Fire… Red… Flame… Machine Gun……?  
  
Squall opened his eyes. He can see a man in a body armor. He has pale black hair, a bit darker than Squall's dark brown. He is hold a machine gun, trigger held down, flooding a bunch of other people of bullets…  
  
"Squall?." He heard a voice. Gentle yet sharp. He felt something on his arm; warm and soothing. He closed his eyes again, and felt a rush as if he's falling.  
  
…  
  
Opening his eyes again, he saw a face. He knows this face. With brown hair draping down at him, softly tickling his face. Russet eyes locked onto his. Gentle features of her nose and mouth…  
  
"Xu." He softly said.  
  
A curve formed on her lips. "Squall."  
  
He saw that her midsection was covered with cushioned bandage.  
  
He tried to get up, but a straining pain exploded from his back. He gave up and laid back down. "Ugh…" He groaned.  
  
"Don't move." Another voice came from behind her. "Your spine's a bit messed up…"  
  
Zell came and crouched down next to Xu, who is on her knees. A mess of scars covered Zell's left cheek. Brown spots stained his yellow hair.  
  
"Your face…" Squall said.  
  
"You had your share. I got mine." He said, grinning.  
  
"Hell with this…" Squall tried to get up again. In spite of the pain, he sat up.  
  
Selphie and Quistis were far from him. Quiet sobs can be heard from here.  
  
He closed his eyes. Splitting headache lingered in his head. "What happened…" He questioned.  
  
"The monster kind of exploded and knocked all of us unconscious…" Zell said.  
  
"We came in after we heard the bang, Than we brought you guys out." Xu cut in. "Zell had some burns. Selphie seems ok… But she's kind of moody."  
  
"Are you ok?" Squall asked.  
  
She nodded. "…Yeah."  
  
Slowly, Squall put his right hand around her waist. "…I was worried."  
  
Xu took his head, and placed it on her cheek. Warm breath of hers felt as a breath of life. She drew him into a hug.  
  
"…Me too."  
  
-----------------------  
  
A transport arrived after two hours, after everyone finished their Exam.  
  
Team Larco wasn't even hurt. They just accidentally dropped the receiver into the lava. Quistis got so mad that she took five points off their final grading average.  
  
The transport that came for them was like a grand cruiser. With every entertainment you could think of. Arcade, Recreation room, Basketball court, pool. Zell ate his face off when he saw the buffet table.  
  
Squall left Zell alone, and guided Xu to an empty quarter. She fell asleep the moment she sat on the bed, right into Squall's lap. Squall carefully set Xu on the bed. He left her alone too.  
  
"Finally reached puberty, huh?" A voice cackled behind him.  
  
Squall turned around. Seifer, with an overcoat and his own Gun Blade in hand, glared at him.  
  
"What do you want?" Squall said sharply.  
  
"Nothing…Except to…congratulate you on your…fine performance at the test." Seifer voiced out, and burst out laughing.  
  
"Shut Up!" Squall spat out. "You haven't been able to pass the test for two years!"  
  
"Better watch your mouth, junior…you don't want another scar on your forehead." He threatened, holding up his blade at him. Then turning around. "I've got better things to do…" And left.  
  
Shaking his head in disapproval, Squall walked the other way.  
  
An hour after, they've reached Balamb Garden. Lower grade students and teachers were in formation to greet them. In lines, they disembarked the cruiser.  
  
"Great work everyone!" Sid rang out. "Hope you all did good on the exam. Please return to your dorm to change into your normal suits… Then, meet in you class room to get your grading scores."  
  
Squall walked slowly toward his room. He saw Xu walking toward hers a distance away. She waved at him. Squall gave a nod of acknowledgement.  
  
At his room, he changed into the normal clothes; A black leather jacket with the shoulders that are covered with feather. After a look in the mirror, he set off for his class on the second floor.  
  
Prepared as he was, nervousness settled upon him once again.  
  
The classroom was fully seated. Mostly everyone was talking to someone else excitedly; Slapping each other high fives, or telling someone how good they aced it. Squall seated himself onto a chair, waiting for his grade.  
  
Ten minutes passed. Still no one got called for his or her results. The class quieted down a bit, getting a little restless.  
  
"Where the heck are they?" A guy questioned to no one.  
  
Finally, Quistis finally came into the room.  
  
"Alright, everyone! Take a seat." She said over the raising voices. Everyone did so.  
  
She sat down herself into the chair behind the front desk, and she took out a folder.  
  
"Everyone, hope all of you did a nice job on the Exam. However… only a number of you will be graduating." An uncomfortable silence settled in on everyone.  
  
Quistis took a paper out of the folder. "As I read out your name, please report to the elevator."  
  
"Nida." A girl walked slowly out of class.  
  
"Jinn." A tall dude walked out too.  
  
"Xu." She stood up. Looked at Squall warmly, and walked out.  
  
"Zell." He mouthed the word "Yes!" And quickly left, half skipping.  
  
"That is all the normal graduates." Quistis said.  
  
Squall suddenly choked a bit. "How could this happen?" he muttered.  
  
Quistis started again. "Now, for the honor graduates. Selphie and Squall. Please go to the elevator as well."  
  
It was done. For five years, Squall waited. Now it has finally came.  
  
Standing up, Squall walked out, finally with a grin on his face.  
  
"Whasup, man!" Zell greeted him outside, hand in the are, expecting a high five.  
  
Caught up in the moment, Squall put his up too. And they slapped skin.  
  
"We did it!" Xu ran at him, and tightly caught Squall right in the abdomen.  
  
Still hurt from the injury, he gasped as streaks of pain eroded from his back.  
  
"Sorry…" Xu let go, said as he groaned in pain. "Kinda forgot…"  
  
Selphie was in tears again, but from the fact that she actually past the test. Zell went over and whispered to her about something, and brought her over to where They are standing.  
  
"You creamed Ifrit. That was probably it." Zell said as he came over.  
  
"Yeah, I guess…" Selphie quietly said.  
  
After some more talking and joking around, the elevator door opened.  
  
All of them stuffed themselves inside. The door shut itself soundlessly in front of them. Forces of gravity pushed them down as the elevator ascended upwards.  
  
The door opened once again, but this time, a place where they never been before. Lavishly fashioned gold drapes hang from the ceiling. A high arch yielded the entrance to a room further inward.  
  
Alone on a stretch of red carpet, Sid stood. All of them formed a straight line which panned across from Sid.  
  
"Ladies, Gentlemen… All of you showed great skills and bravery to have passed the exam. You should be proud of yourselves" Sid said.  
  
All of them gave Sid a salute.  
  
"Of course, some of you showed more than you had in you… Miss Selphie Timmitt, please step forward."  
  
Selphie shyly took a step.  
  
"You did something that no other SeeD candidates have ever accomplished. Please look in the back of this room."  
  
She turned, and gave a small yelp of panic.  
  
All of them flashed toward the door of where they came in.  
  
Squall almost fell as he saw, clear as day, a shape of red floating there. It was Ifrit.  
  
The flaming creature glided slowed toward Sid.  
  
"Watch out, Professor!" Zell said as it drew level to Sid.  
  
"No reason to panic." A shadowy figure moved slowly to viewing distance.  
  
Julia walked and stopped in front of Ifrit. It did some kind of bow to her, as if understanding her status as a Summoner.  
  
"Julia?" Xu blurted out.  
  
"Miss Julie here have something to say to you, Selphie." Sid said, while stepping back a step.  
  
"My Ifrit here has never been defeated… Until to day." Julia said in a whisper.  
  
The monster roared, and glowed white, and the outline of it shifted from a huge, spiky figure, to a short and smooth lined person.  
  
As it stopped glowing, everyone gasped. It took the look of a motorcycle riding, punkish person.  
  
"I said I give up, babe! Why'd you whooping me like that!"  
  
Confused as they were, all of them took a step back.  
  
"I..did..n't..know they could do that…" Xu whispered into Squall's ears.  
  
Squall scanned him up and down. He incredibly resembles Zell, with its spiky yellow hair, and a blue highwater.  
  
Zell stepped toward it. "Why do you gotta jack my style?"  
  
It shrugged. "Gotta look like something."  
  
"So…You telling me that summons can look like anything?" Selphie questioned.  
  
"That's correct." Julia said.  
  
Ifrit drew a few punches, and took a punch at a wall on the side. He retracted holding his hand, in pain. "I can't believe how you human ever beat me."  
  
"Back to the point…" Julia cleared her throat. "Since you defeated Ifrit in battle, you automatically receive him as your own. So, here he is."  
  
She walked up to Ifrit in awe, and stuck out her hand. "Nice to meet you."  
  
It looked at her hand in doubt.  
  
"You are suppose to shake it." Julia said.  
  
"Oh…Right." It took Selphie's hand and shook it.  
  
"Man," Zell said to himself. "I guess I'm only beginning to figure her out, now that she's making friends with something that tried to make marshmallow of her…"  
  
Once Selphie is done looking at her new lethal weapon, Xu asked, "So does this means that all of our Summons can transform into human form?"  
  
Julia shook her head. "No. Only the ones that are calm enough to be in contact with human without ripping them up would transform their appearance."  
  
"And you call that calm." Zell muttered again.  
  
"Ok, everyone!" Sid loudly said over everyone. "Time for some rest. Remember, the Graduation Ball is in three days. Buy your tickets soon! Dismissed!"  
  
Slowly, all of them toddled out toward the elevator. It took them back into the main hall. Now, it is empty 'cause of the lateness.  
  
Selphie turned around, seeing Ifrit following her, she asked, "So you're suppose to stay this way?"  
  
"No!" He said. "I mean no. I should go now…Here." Ifrit's human form extended his arm, revealing a red stone. "Here's my summon. Say 'Hell Fire' when you want to use it." Than he was gone.  
  
"It's so creepy," Selphie said. "That you're standing that close to something that can fry you until you're extra crispy."  
  
"Then welcome to the real world…" Squall said mindlessly.  
  
He saw Xu walking soundlessly away from them in the corner of his eyes. Everyone sense of his instinct told him to follow her as she inched toward the dorm area. But, he acted as he didn't see her.  
  
Squall gave a hug to Selphie and a five to Zell, and slowly walked toward the dorms. The other two, however, started toward the Training Center. Better leave them by themselves too, Squall told himself.  
  
As he rounded the corner toward his room, he saw a shadow. It was like a human, slim, like a girl maybe. But the shadow showed as the flesh was coming hanging off the bones as they swayed in the person's motion.  
  
What the…, Squall mouthed as he quickly backed up. He thought with his back against the wall. That is either a mutant or a girl with serious skin problem.  
  
He stood there, unsure of what to do. Cold sweat covered his forehead. He shut his eyes.  
  
I must be dreaming, I must be dreaming…, he thought to himself.  
  
Whatever that thing is, mutant of whatnot, he gave himself a dose of confidence, I should face it off.  
  
Gun Blade out of the sheath, Squall quickly rounded the corner again.  
  
Nothing.  
  
Not even a sound, worst a Mutated girl, was there. He stared at the empty hallway, and drew blank.  
  
He groaned, I should lay off on the "me to the rescue" stuff…  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
©( Copyright Omega 2000-2002. All text is the property of Authors Tao Li and Jeanie Owen. All rights reserved. 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven  
  
Knock. Knock.  
  
Squall, still drowsy from yesterday, faintly heard the knocking on his door.  
  
"Wha…d…y…" He mumbled while he rolled on his bed.  
  
"Wake up! Sleeping Beauty!" A rather loud pounding followed. "It's already nine!"  
  
"It's open… come in, Xu." He mumbled again.  
  
"I ain't your girlfriend! She's already down at Café Balamb!"  
  
"Say whuh…" He never heard a Café that's in Balamb Garden before.  
  
"Just get your butt out here, man! You won't believe it!"  
  
He pushed himself up and out of the bed. Putting on his feather necked jacket, he opened the door. Zell, in his unusual arrange of clothing: a completely white jacket, which has a picture of a Cactuar on the back, and a pair of black khakis.  
  
Without a word, Zell signaled Squall to follow him as he fast-walked down toward the hall.  
  
"Slow down… Where's Xu?" Squall questioned.  
  
As they reached the main hall, they saw a line that snaked toward the entrance.  
  
"What's this?" Squall asked, with a hint of confusion in his voice.  
  
"Get in line, dude!" Zell said as he hurriedly went to the end of the line.  
  
Squall followed.  
  
"You won't believe this…" Zell repeated. " 'd you hear the clanking last night.?"  
  
"No…" Squall said. He so was sound asleep last night, he would've slept through an earthquake.  
  
"Well, guess what?"  
  
"…What?" Squall said.  
  
"They've built a tram system from here to Balamb!"  
  
"You're serious?"  
  
"Do I look like I'm joking." He put on a serious face.  
  
Squall knew Zell can't be trusted much when he talks about something big.  
  
"Just wait and see." Zell shrugged at him. "I'm not lying this time."  
  
The line slowly pushed them forward to the Garden's entrance. Soon, they were past the huge double door that moved them into view of a single track.  
  
"…Where's this train?" Squall questioned.  
  
"I guess it went…But I heard it's really fast." Zell looked down the train track, which winded itself out of view into the hills.  
  
"…Why are we going to Balamb?"  
  
Zell turned around. "Well, for one, you get to see Xu…I get to talk to Selphie. She's the coordinator for the Garden Festival. Xu's there practicing for her gig with the performance group thingy…"  
  
"So, we're having the Ball at Balamb?"  
  
"Yeah. I checked on the School Net, and it says that Sid is renting the Piere de Balamb, or whatever you call that pier that's near my house, for an entire week."  
  
"And I'll have to recharge my Shiva summon while I'm there." Squall slyly whispered.  
  
"Hey, what about that bird summon I have?" Zell took out the yellow stone."  
  
"Bring it to her. But I think that's hers though…"  
  
"What, you think someone stole it?" Zell questioned.  
  
"Don't know." Squall answered.  
  
"Don't care." Zell followed.  
  
They waited for a while. A faint hum can be heard, so all of them stood up, and anxiously waited again. As the hum grew to a thunder-like sound, Squall covered his ears.  
  
A bullet train with twin engines soon came to a stop. All over, it's covered with Black with Gold hotrod like streams on the sides.  
  
"Tight!" Zell approved.  
  
The tinted window-doors opened with a hiss of steam. A waitress wearing a dress that matched the train welcomed them aboard.  
  
The interior was as cool as the paint job. A line of Couches each faced a window, and was each mounted with a virtual-reality goggle.  
  
"Now this is definitely in style!" Zell said as he jumped into a seat.  
  
Squall sat in a black one next to Zell's.  
  
"Cool! It's CounterStrike!" Zell said with the goggles on, making a gun with his hand.  
  
The doors slid shut behind them, and the train slowly glided away from the Garden.  
  
"Dude," Zell took his visor off. "You gotta play this game!"  
  
"What's it about?"  
  
"You're either Terrorist or a Cop, and you try too kill the other team!" Zell said as he whipped his eyes. "Killer graphics for a twenty year old game, too."  
  
Squall shrugged and grabbed the helmet at his side. It would take a while to get to Balamb anyway. So the game went as they slaughtered those snipers and crushed those pesky dudes with submachineguns.  
  
--------------  
  
Thirty minutes past, and the train whistled to a stop at Balamb train station. Balamb was at it's usual: sunshine, a fresh breeze, and the sounds of seagulls flying carelessly above them.  
  
"Ahh…" Zell stretched out his arms. "Good to be back. I'm gonna visit Ma. I'll be back in twenty."  
  
"'K." Squall said as he headed for Julia's house.  
  
The Temple-like house was the same as last time. He knocked of the door. But, no one answered.  
  
Squall looked around and saw a note on the door.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Those who wishes to regenerate his/her  
  
Summons may visit me at the dock area.  
  
--Julia  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
I thought Julia never leaves the house…he thought. Nonetheless, he went.  
  
The pier was loaded with students form the Garden. There was a stage at one side shouldering the edge. An orchestra circled below it.  
  
Many of the students were crowded around a building near the pier, which had a yellow banner at the door that said "COUNTER-STRIKE". All of them were shoving over each other to get in Squall thought he saw a flash of over-greased yellow hair person throwing a punch in there.  
  
The tamer students were at the various places of the pier. Most of the girls were gossiping happily in a huddle at the end of the pier. Those who like books better than video games were at the Balamb's Café. Squall looked over there, and saw Xu and Selphie waving at him.  
  
He saw a flower stand near by. He paid the vendor for a red and a pink rose. And strolled toward them.  
  
"Ladies." He handed Xu the red one, and pink for Selphie.  
  
"Aw…" Selphie took it near her nose. "Zell would never do anything like this."  
  
"He'll be seriously crazy with you… in about two days. Trust me." Squall assured her. "And I mean crazy. You could about qualify him as mental during that period."  
  
"I hope so…"  
  
Selphie was wearing a really, really short yellow dress, coupled with a yellow tank top.  
  
"So how did your rehearsal go?" He turned to Xu.  
  
"Swell." Xu grinned. "The best so far."  
  
"The Garden Festival will feature her in a Single too!" Selphie said excited. Xu just blushed.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"I was going to surprise you, but…" Xu said with a soft voice.  
  
"Better not shock him too much!" Selphie squeaked again.  
  
"So your gonna do a dance or what?"  
  
"Yeah…and I'm singing." Xu said after a pause.  
  
"I took her to audition for it!" Selphie playfully patted Xu on the back. "And you said you didn't have a voice!"  
  
The dress Xu was wearing was quite an ensemble. A sapphire colored, one piece dress, which is literally covered with rhinestones. Other than the dress, Xu herself was decorated with necklaces and bracelet. Squall could see the silver one she got from Julia.  
  
Near by on the stage, an amateur rock band was tuning up. Guitar riffs and an earthquake-like bass rocked the entire Balamb Harbor. People clapped hard either because they enjoyed it or they were glad it was over.  
  
Another rehearsal called Xu and Selphie. After a quick hug with Squall, both rushed toward the stage area.  
  
Squall ordered a drink and watched Xu did a few dance moves on stage. He saw Xu gave him a small wink when she was near him. He smiled.  
  
Zell suddenly came to him from the Game Room.  
  
"Dude, you gotta help me!"  
  
"What?"  
  
Zell pointed at the building which he had been. "They're having a tournament at the EC now!"  
  
"So?" Squall said.  
  
"I beaten almost everyone! Except the finals are team battles, and our team is missing one person! You got to play, man! Or else well be disqualified!"  
  
"There's have to be over a hundred people there. I'm sure someone wants to play."  
  
"Man, they all suck! Besides, We'll be playing Seifer! I'm sure you like to whoop him at his own game! He and Fujin, Rajin has been the top clan for years! Don't you want to kick his butt?"  
  
The name Seifer stuck his nerve. Squall immediately agreed. He waved Xu bye and went.  
  
The EC was still flooded with people when they arrived. When they saw Zell walking in, they made way.  
  
"A few jab to the chins made them know who is boss." Zell said.  
  
Inside, the lights were dimmed out just to show two rows of chairs. Five blue, five red, facing each other. All the red seats were occupied. Fujin, a girl who is known for her less-than-patient attitude and short use of word; Rajin, Fujin's brother, he's like a tail, which always follow Seifer around; And Seifer.  
  
All of the people in Blue seats stood up, and greeted Zell.  
  
"Squall this is Buzz. He has been in a team for two seasons of this game." He pointed at a really tanned, well built dude. "He'll be our main Offensive." Buzz shook Squall's hand.  
  
"This is Aaron, our Defense. He once single handedly took out a team of vets with a pistol." A wealthy-looking boy greeted him.  
  
"Glad to be on this team." Aaron said.  
  
"Lastly Ellone." He pointed at a black haired girl. "She flew all the way from Winhill to be our strategic command." Ellone gave him a wave.  
  
"And everyone, this is Squall Leonhart, our Scout, he's a master Sniper Artist."  
  
What he said is kind of true. Squall took out a total of forty-six people with a rifle while coming to Balamb.  
  
"Alright everybody!" An announcer said over a loud speaker. "Those who are not in the final round should be outside! You can look at the combat on the Bigscreen outside!"  
  
All the people filtered out except Seifer's team and them.  
  
"Ok. Put on you headgear and wait to be suspended."  
  
Suspended?  
  
They all put on a goggle and a wristband After everyone's ready, Squall felt as though they were floating. He took off the goggle, and found out that they are floating because of an anti-grav generator.  
  
He put the goggles back on, and found himself around a table. He saw Buzz, Aaron, Ellone, and Zell are there. They were wearing battle armors. Looking down at himself, he was too.  
  
"Ok, the computer has picked the level and teams. The level will be "D- Dust." We will be Terrorist. Are you guy familiar with the map?"  
  
Buzz looked around. Ellone and Aaron were shaking their head, but Zell and Squall were clueless.  
  
"Ok, since you guys know what you're dong, go get prepared for the round." And they both went out a door.  
  
"Let me explain the level. We well begin the round here." He pointed at one corner of a map that was on the table. "The goal of the level is to plant the bomb at these two sites." He pointed at the other two corners, which were marked with a "B". "Ellone will be our bomb carrier. We will stick together. Aaron and I will always be in the front of Ellone, scouting the area. Zell, you will stick to Ellone like underpants, never leaving her in any situation. Squall, you will bring up the rear. If we see any Snipers or Campers, we will call you to the front for counter-sniping or taking out bogies from long distance. Zell, stick with a Machine Gun this round. Squall, you'll get an Arctic Warfare."  
  
"Is that good?" Squall asked.  
  
"Good? It's capable of one-hit kill from any distance. Best rifle there is in the game."  
  
"Oh…"  
  
"And remember," Buzz said while he leaded them out the door. "Always buy a Flash-Bang and a HE grenade. Plus, Friendly Fire is off, so, you can shoot through your teammates. You guys got that?"  
  
"Yeah." Zell said while exciting rubbing his hands.  
  
The next room contained a pile of ammunition. Buzz picked out a large gun with two strap of ammo, and handed it to Zell. And then picking out a rifle, which is almost as big as Zell's machinegun, and four extra clips of ammo and gave it to Squall.  
  
"You'll have the least of bullets, so don't shoot unless you have them in the crosshair, 'k?"  
  
"What about close-quarter combat?" Zell said, looking at his bulky gun.  
  
"Drop it and take out your Knife or Pistol." Aaron said while patting at the two sides of his leg, which is bulking out.  
  
"Always remember this isn't real." Ellone said while all of them stepped on a transport. "Some risks are beneficial."  
  
"TRANSPORT IN TEN SECONDS" A mechanical voice said.  
  
"And, if we win, it's two thousand Gils each and a trophy!" Buzz said.  
  
"Plus bragging rights!" Zell followed.  
  
"…THREE, TWO, ONE, INITIATE TRANSPORT."  
  
----------------  
  
The dark room blurred out and a bright sun was positioned above them. They were in midair as they slowly descended. Looking down, Squall saw a building complex with open rooftops and all looked composed of dirt and sand.  
  
They landed foot first on the dirt.  
  
"Ammunition check!" Buzz announced. "MP5 Submachine gun."  
  
Aaron raised his long looking gun. "Kreig Kommando Sem-Auto Sniper Rifle."  
  
Ellone was reloading her gun. "12-Gauge Auto-Shotgun."  
  
"Para-Lite Machinegun." Zell said.  
  
Squall looked down at his. It had a line of small writing on the sniper scope.  
  
"AWM- Arctic Warfare/Magnum Sniper Rifle." He read out.  
  
"Ok! Assume your positions!"  
  
Ellone was carrying a brown bag on her back. Squall assumed that it was the bomb. Aaron and Buzz went in front of him. Zell stuck right by Ellone. Squall stood himself in the back of the pack.  
  
"An Desert Eagle pistol and a Kelvar army knife should be at your sides. Use them if you're out of ammo or close combat is engaged in close encounter. And advance!"  
  
They stealthily advanced onto a ramp. Ignoring an opening on the left, the team went straight. As they came on a corner of an opening, Buzz signaled for a Flash-Bang, a grenade that blinds who ever sees it.  
  
Ellone came forward, grenade in hand. She pulled the pin, and yelled, "Fire in the hole!" And threw it around the corner.  
  
After a loud explosion, gun shots and stray bullets can be seen and heard.  
  
"Bogies around the corner." Ellone said.  
  
"Ok," Buzz instructed. "When I give the signal, Zell will throw a Smoke Grenade. Me and Aaron will distract them. Squall, slowly come around the bend and take out any Oppositions."  
  
"Copy." All of them said.  
  
Scope on. Squall said to himself as he turned the scope and placed his eyes in it.  
  
Zell, with his Grenade in hand walk up.  
  
"On my mark…1…2…3…Release!"  
  
©( Copyright Omega 2000-2002. All text is the property of Authors Tao Li and Jeanie Owen. All rights reserved. 


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight  
  
  
  
The pin was taken from the safety, as Squall saw from his scope. Zell threw the Smoke grenade with all his might. It landed with a thud, and gas could be heard releasing. Gunfire could be heard again.  
  
"Charge!!" Buzz announced. Aaron and him ran out, strafing right, and making use of their weapon. Gun fires erupted from Aaron, Buzz, and else where.  
  
Ellone scouted the area, and signaled Squall to move. Slowly and steady. Careful not to distill the rifle, he moved sideways into the clearing. Through his scope, he just saw smoke waving and dancing in his view. Knowing that they were not exposed, he waved at Zell and Ellone to advance.  
  
They did. With Zell staying in front of the bomb carrier, they stealthily moved to a cover across the open. Squall followed.  
  
"Did you see Buzz and Aaron?" Zell asked him.  
  
"No. No…" Squall was looking around him. The smoke finally cleared, revealing the true structure of the place. They were at the corner of a huge opening. To the left, he could see where they were a minute ago. Looking forward, two paths could be followed.  
  
One, is going underground to a semi-tunnel, under a bridge that overcastted in front of them. The other was up a ramp on the right that connected to the bridge, taking them across it.  
  
"Ok…Ellone, you're the expert here…tunnel or ramp?" Squall turned to him.  
  
"If we were to take the ramp across the bridge, we would have to go into a three-way corridor in a closed roof structure. None of our weapon are that good in close range. Under the bridge would lead us into a tall ledge in the front and back, all above us. But, with a rifle, we may have the advantage."  
  
"Ok, then tunnel it is…I'll be in the front for now. Zell, you stay behind Ellone. Ellone, keep your eyes peeled for Buzz and Aaron." And they fast walked toward the tunnel.  
  
The tunnel was filled with crates and boxes. The snaked around them as quietly as they can. Light can be seen in front of them, showing the exit. Squall walked as they went closer and closer. When he was about to step into the light, he heard Ellone yell, "Stop!"  
  
But it was too late. Squall saw himself in the middle of a pit, with people all around him. Uh-oh, he thought to himself.  
  
"Fire!" a voice yelled.  
  
Squall backed up as quickly as he can, but the bullets were flooding at him. He took a couple to the shoulders before he got back into covering.  
  
"Didn't I tell you!" Ellone whispered angrily as she took out a med-kit and started to bandage his left shoulder. "We are still at a disadvantage!"  
  
Squall sighed. The pain isn't like being shot, but more like some one was pinching him.  
  
"So, now what?" Zell asked. He was sitting on the ground, clutching his machine gun.  
  
"We'll need a distraction…Here, give me that grenade." She pointed at Squalls side.  
  
He handed it over.  
  
She took it, and started weighing it in her hand. Then, after a moment, handed it to Zell.  
  
"What?" Zell asked.  
  
"Ok, you are going to lob this grenade straight into that wall." She pointed at the ledge that was in front of them. "Hopefully, it will bounce into the air, leaving us to sneak pass them."  
  
Hopefully? That's the best she could give us? Squall thought. Zell had a look on his face that agreed.  
  
"What?!" Ellone Shouted, followed by a burst of bullets from above them. "That's the best I could think of! Why? You got a better idea!?"  
  
"Calm down, Ellone." Squall quietly said. "We need to keep our heads if we are going to win this thing…"  
  
"Sorry…I just…" Ellone pummeled to the ground. "It's just that I don't like being pressured much, and-"  
  
"Shh…" Zell held a finger to her, and cupped his ear.  
  
They heard foot steps thundering. It grew louder and louder, until…  
  
"There!" Zell pointed toward where they came in.  
  
Buzz and Aaron are running top speed toward them. Their face strained with panic.  
  
"What? What?" Ellone yelled at them.  
  
"Run!!!" Buzz yelled back. Both of them rounded the corner and disappeared.  
  
Squall, Zell, and Ellone looked at each other, all in confusion.  
  
Quickly as ever, semi-autos can be heard again, not from above them, but from where Buzz and Aaron has appeared.  
  
Five people are running at them, guns firing. And Seifer is in the lead.  
  
"Let's move!" Zell said. And then he ran. Squall and Ellone followed closely behind him.  
  
The turned left and went up a ramp. Buzz is straight in front of them, holding a grenade in his hand. He pulled the pin and hurled it toward where they came from.  
  
A blinding flash made Squall close his eyes. Then, it was like a shock wave, but with no sound, pushed him down.  
  
Squall felt a hand was pulling him across the ground. Pain from his forehead made him twist his face to match.  
  
"Squall! You ok?" A voice asked.  
  
Dizzy as he was, Squall opened his eyes, white clouds are still blinding him. But, he can still see Buzz and Aaron next to him.  
  
"What the hell…" He said.  
  
"A Flashbang. Sorry, for not warning you…" Buzz whispered. "The other team is cheating. They messed with the game…There are about ten people on their team now. All of them seems very experienced."  
  
"…Probably connected through a bypassed server." Aaron said while looking around.  
  
"Yeah," Squall said. "'bout five people were gunning me over there."  
  
"We should call a time, and report this." Ellone said, looking nervous.  
  
"If we do, we'll have to wait two days to start again!!" Buzz angrily said. "Me 'n Aaron will be leaving by then."  
  
"We'll have to beat these people now…Ellone check the game status." Aaron said.  
  
"For health…Me and Zell are at 100 percent. Buzz, you're at 84. Aaron, you're at 76. Squall you're at 31. Ammunition is still good."  
  
"Alright…We could go straight for a bomb site of to the right for the other one. Ellone?"  
  
"We could get ambushed at either one…But I suggest the one to the right, since it's more open."  
  
"Right it is then." Buzz said.  
  
Squall got up to his feet, brushing off dirt from his hair, and picked up his rifle.  
  
He took a look to the right of him. There was an arched door that seemed to lead to another open.  
  
"This place is pretty dangerous just storming in blindly. There could be campers all over this place. AWM, that's the one you're holding," Buzz said to Squall. "Works like a dream here. So. Counter-sniping is a must. We'll need a bait… Since I have the lightest weapon, I'll go. Now, Ellone, look for muzzle flashes. If you see any, and I'm still alive, tell Squall to snipe . If I'm dead, Aaron will rush as another bait while Squall snipe. Zell, watch out for any ambush. Got it?"  
  
The reality of having almost all the experienced people dying and having two newbies plus one left doesn't seem to agree with Squall's gut feeling, but since they are experienced, he has to trust him.  
  
"Three…Two…ONE!" Buzz charged in. At that instant, it seemed like something exploded. Ellone peaked around the corner. Her eyes wide in horror. After ten seconds, the gunshots stopped.  
  
"Ok…Buzz is gone. Three confirmed targets at ten o'clock with Colt Assault Rifle, three o'clock with Bullup Assault Sniper, and one long range at two o'clock with AWM Sniper."  
  
"A Colt is no match for my Kreig…Zell, cover fire on three."  
  
Zell nodded and stepped forward.  
  
"One, two, three!"  
  
At that moment, Zell strife left, gritting his teeth, and held down the trigger of his Machine Gun. Aaron stealthily crouched down just around the corner, eyes in the sniper scope. He fired two shots.  
  
"Retreat." Aaron said.  
  
At once, Zell turned and hid from view.  
  
"I got the Colt carrier. Now, I think I got the rest's attention. I think I could take the rest if me and Squall both go this time…"  
  
Squall nodded.  
  
"Ok. One more cover fire, Zell. One…Two…Three!"  
  
Zell stood up again and moved left.  
  
BAMM.  
  
Zell stood frozen for a minute. Then he began to vaporize.  
  
"Damn…" He said as he thinned. "I think I took a head shot…"  
  
PROGRAM HACK DETECTED. A monotone voice boomed. BEGIN GAME ABORTION PRECESSES.  
  
"Damn!" Aaron yelled out as everything began tone to black.  
  
"The computer must've found the signals of the hackers." Ellone said. "Oh, well…"  
  
Everything was still black as Squall felt himself descend back into his seat.  
  
"What the heck is going on?!" He heard Buzz the minute they can take off their goggles.  
  
"Sorry." Says the guy that's running the thing. "This machine automatically shuts down when someone is hacking it. Since all of you won't be here next week, you'll have to split the winnings."  
  
After a bit, they all walked out of the place with five hundred Gils each.  
  
"Man, what a rip!" Zell said as he counted his winnings. "We should've won the thing!"  
  
"Don't bitch, man. At least you got something."  
  
"Argh… maybe your right…" Zell said.  
  
As they made their way back to the pier, rehearsals seemed to be over, as the stage was empty.  
  
"Where's Selphie?" Zell questioned.  
  
Squall shrugged.  
  
"Crap…I was gonna talk to her about something…oh well. Hey Squall how 'bout me and you go to the beaches?! There are some fine chick we could hit on!"  
  
"How about no…Selphie will kill you if she sees you." Squall said while looking around. "And there they are."  
  
"Hey!" Selphie greeted them as they approached. "Where were you guys?"  
  
"Zell dragged me to play vid-games."  
  
Xu scoffed. "Boys with toys…I guess it's in you guys' nature."  
  
"Don't be dissing us males! How about you guys, when-"  
  
"Back off, Zell." Squall cut him off.  
  
"Anyways…" Xu resumed. "I'll be leaving in about…now." She looked down at her watch.  
  
"Did you get your Leviathan recharged?" Squall asked Xu.  
  
"No…Julia's not around today. I don't think she'll be back anytime soon."  
  
"Why?" Zell asked.  
  
"If she's ever out of the house, she's probably training her Summons somewhere elusive. She'll probably be back in a couple of weeks later."  
  
Xu looked at Squall. "Come with me back to the Garden. I gotta talk to you about something…"  
  
"Ok." Squall answered. "You guys are on your own." He said.  
  
"Yeah, ok." Selphie answered. "Me and Zell is going to stay around for a while. See you guys back at the Garden!" And she dragged Zell toward the far side of the pier.  
  
They walked silently toward the train station.  
  
"So…how did you do?" Squall asked Xu.  
  
"Not bad…" She shortly replied.  
  
Squall thought to try to continue the short conversation, but thought again that she wasn't in the mood for talking.  
  
The train took them back to Balamb Garden after about half an hour. Xu took all the time looking out the window, still wordless.  
  
When they got off the train, Xu suggested they go to her dorm. Squall didn't object.  
  
"Close the door." Xu said after they are in the room. "Sit down…"  
  
Squall sat down next to her on the bed.  
  
"I've just go this from Sid just when I was at the pier…" She took out a letter from her pocket.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
She took it out of the envelope, and gave it to Squall. "Read it." She said.  
  
Squall opened the piece of paper  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
To: Xu Loire  
  
From: Headmaster Sid  
  
Xu,  
  
I've received the your request for the transfer to the White SeeD Squadron. I've also have reviewed your personal performance record in Balamb Garden. You've have met or exceeded in all your grades and evaluations. Therefore, I have no choice but to approve your choice of transfer. I hope you do well there as you did here.  
  
Best of Luck,  
  
Sid Kramer  
  
Headmaster of Balamb Garden  
  
He folded up the letter, and handed it back to Xu.  
  
"Well?" Xu said after a silence.  
  
"Well what?" Squall answered.  
  
"Aren't you going to say something?" She said, a little hurt from Squall's unresponsive answer.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me this earlier?" Squall said with a little apprehension.  
  
"I thought that you would've understand…"  
  
Squall stood up. "I do, but…"  
  
"But what?" Xu followed.  
  
"I don't think I should care about this." He muttered.  
  
Squall didn't choose to continue it, and walked toward the door.  
  
"…I'll talk to you later." And then Squall left, shutting the door after him.  
  
©( Copyright Omega 2000-2002. All text is the property of Authors Tao Li and Jeanie Owen. All rights reserved. 


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine: Perfection  
  
  
  
Squall and Xu didn't talk at all during the next week. As the Graduation Ball quickly approaches, Squall didn't know how he was going to repair this broken bond between them.  
  
The after-graduation classes were optional after you've passed the final exam. But Squall went to them as Xu was always there, hoping to talk to her. But she acted as if he was not there.  
  
"You gotta do what I do." Zell said to him. It was two days before the Ball.  
  
"What? Nothing?" Squall sarcastically answered.  
  
Zell didn't say much after that.  
  
"Well. What do you suppose you do, then?" Zell scoffed at him.  
  
"I don't know…"  
  
It was one day before the Ball. Squall has made up his mind about talking to Xu sometime during the day. After she ignored him once again in class that day, Squall quickly left before her and waited by her dorm room's door. After about ten minutes, she came. She was pretty surprised to see him there.  
  
"Oh… It's you." She said, turning away.  
  
"You can't ignore me forever, you know." Squall said, walking closer to her.  
  
"I could try." She replied coldly as she slid from him to her dorm room door.  
  
"Why are you mad at me?" Squall asked, holding on to the door as she tried to slam it in his face. "Is it because you don't think I care enough?"  
  
"You should know." She said, still turned away from him.  
  
"Well what is it?" Squall said. "How could I know what you think I should know?"  
  
She suddenly turned in front of him.  
  
"It hurts here!" She said, while holding her chest. She fell on to the bed, crying.  
  
"It already hurts without you being like this…"  
  
"I…I didn't know, Xu…" Squall stammered for an answer.  
  
"I would tell you why if you're a bit closer to me…"  
  
"When will that be?"  
  
She stood up. Her eyes still glimmering with tears. "Please…Go…" She said.  
  
Squall's back at his dorm room a couple minutes later, lying down on his bed, thinking about himself and Xu.  
  
Ring.  
  
Squall picked up his cell.  
  
"Yeah?" He said.  
  
"Squall?" The voice of Quistis answered.  
  
"Quistis?"  
  
"I want you to come by the Training Center this afternoon with your Summon…come about 3 o'clock, ok?"  
  
"Why?" Squall questioned, closing his eyes.  
  
"Just come by. It'll be useful." Then she hanged up.  
  
After Squall had his lunch, Squall took up Quistis' request and went to the Training Center at around three. When he approached the clearing, he saw Quistis, Xu, Selphie, and Zell there.  
  
"What's up, my man!" Zell greeted him.  
  
Squall didn't reply, looking at Xu. She was quietly talking to Quistis. She quickly glanced up at him, then turned back toward Quistis.  
  
"Oh…you guys are still not talking?" Selphie came over. "Don't worry…she'll come around soon enough…"  
  
"Ok!" Quistis said. "We were just waiting for you, Squall. Now lets get started. The reason why I've called the three of you is to familiarize you with your Summons. It's important that you bond with your Summons for trust in battle and to befriend them. They are just like you and me. They have feelings, they could get angry, sad, happy…all the things we experience, they can too."  
  
"The Summons are unique as they're own. They are never two Summons that are the exact same thing. You four are the only students in the Garden that has a Summon."  
  
"Ok…why don't Selphie go first, since you've already familiar with .yours.  
  
She nodded and took out the red rock. Everybody took a step back.  
  
Suddenly the Surroundings turned to a tone of red, and the rock started to glow it went out of Selphie's hand, and floated high in the air. The glowing red rock started to expand. Then, it formed Ifrit.  
  
"…Where's the monsters?" It asked in a low growl.  
  
"Umm…we are not fighting right now." Quistis said. "Please turn into your human form."  
  
It looked at Quistis, then Selphie. It nodded. It started glowing again. After a few seconds, it became the punk-ish biker.  
  
"What up?" Ifrit said.  
  
"Don't you know about the Bonding Ceremony?" Quistis said, a little surprised.  
  
"Oh that…right now?" It said, scratching its head.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Alright…" It looked at Selphie. "Where do you want it?"  
  
"…Want what?" Selphie said, a little nervous.  
  
"In order to bond with a Summon, you must have its symbol engraved somewhere on your body." Quistis explained to Selphie.  
  
"Engraved?" Selphie asked again.  
  
"Don't worry. It's just like a tattoo." Ifrit said while walking closer to her. "Now, where do you want it?"  
  
Selphie thought about it for a few seconds. "On the base of my neck."  
  
"Fine…" It took its thumb and pressed it on her heck. "Hold still…It'll just sting a bit…"  
  
"Ow!!" Selphie yelled as a bit of smoke raised into the air.  
  
"Ok. There you go." Ifrit said casually.  
  
"That hurts!" Selphie said while rubbing the back of her neck.  
  
She turned around to let everybody see what the symbol look like. It turns out to be a red ember the size of a coin.  
  
"Who's next?" Quistis asked.  
  
"I'll go!" Zell said at once, and he took out his yellow rock. He mumbled something, and then the rock floated in front of him. It changed itself to a cross, then it formed Quesacoatl. It's a huge falcon-like animal with bright gold feathers and it doesn't seem to have eyes. It fluttered its wings comfortably.  
  
"Who called upon me?" It said.  
  
"Me!" Zell waved at the Summon. "I did!"  
  
It nodded its head in acknowledgement. "The Bonding Ceremony, I suppose…"  
  
It landed on the ground, folded its wing at its side. It then started to glow bright yellow. It shrank, but still remaining in bird shape. When it stopped glowing, it was a brown eagle with golden wing tips. It flapped into the air and landed on Zell's shoulder.  
  
"I am Quesacoatl, or just Q, the thunder element." It said without a voice. "I seemed to have a new master…"  
  
"Yeah." Zell said.  
  
"And I think that's Ifrit?" it looked at Ifrit's human form.  
  
"Yeah that's me alright! How are you hanging, Q?" Ifrit replied.  
  
"The same…Well, why don't we do this already." It said to Zell.  
  
"Ok, then…The left shoulder."  
  
Quesacoatl placed one of its sharp talons there, and sank it in.  
  
"Ah! Shi-…!' Zell said as Q flew away. Four black dots appeared on Zell's shoulder, connected with thin lines of yellow.  
  
Xu went after with her Leviathan Summon, which is a Giant Sea Serpent. It transformed itself into a five feet long water snake. It's symbol, which is burned into Xu's forearm, is a winding snake figure.  
  
Squall's Summon, Shiva, is a human figure, with ice colored skin. It's transformed itself into a hyperactive girl of fifteen years old. It left a shape of a crystal on Squall's wrist.  
  
"Alright. I think that's all of us." Quistis said as all of their summons disappeared. "Congratulations! You guys have taken you're first step of becoming a Summoner! Of course, if you wish to continue to expand your collection of Summons, you must go and find them as Miss Julia did. That will be all for today."  
  
They left the Training Center with Quistis for Dinner.  
  
"…Squall?" He heard someone say. He turned around. Xu was looking at him.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"…I want to apologize." Xu muttered.  
  
"No…no…I should be the one who's apologizing. I'm sorry." Squall said.  
  
"It's just…I've been under a lot of stress lately, and I'm sorry about when I broke down on you today…"  
  
"I understand." Squall said.  
  
"Good!" Xu happily said. " 'cause you still have to take me to the Ball!"  
  
Squall groaned.  
  
After Dinner, Squall and Xu strolled around the Garden, just talking to each other. Xu told Squall that she chose to be in the White SeeD is because they serve the Sorceresses and be her apprentice. And being a distant descendent of one, Xu plans to learn more about her hidden powers.  
  
"So what are you going to go after we graduate?" Xu asked Squall.  
  
"Me?…Oh…probably a Freelancer."  
  
"You are going to fight for money?" Xu said.  
  
"As long as it's for a good cause. Nothing evil…" Squall answered.  
  
"I've heard Freelancers is kind of dangerous, considering that you don't return here until your job is finished." Xu said.  
  
"What else am I suppose to do? Flip burgers? It's not like I can do anything else." Squall said.  
  
Xu nodded. "Ok…well…good luck."  
  
"What?" Squall. "Luck? I don't need luck."  
  
______________________________  
  
A day passed. The day of the Ball. All of them received an instructional email in their box saying that All graduating persons as well as the people performing report to Balamb before seven o'clock in the early evening. Squall, Zell, Xu, and Selphie all went at noon since there's nothing else to do anymore at the Garden. Xu and Selphie left them after they got to the pier, saying that they need to rehearse for their things.  
  
Squall and Zell went to Zell's house, which in further into the town. Zell's mother was a woman in her forties. She seems to spend her days in the kitchen, and inviting people over to try her cooking. She cooks really well, and it's a mystery why she doesn't become a professional cook for some fancy restaurant. When they went over today, she had them try her newly invented sushi-kabob thing, which is very good.  
  
They took their SeeD uniform with them, so they could dress up before the Graduation Ball. Both of them got no dates to pick up because both Xu and Selphie are both at the place preparing.  
  
The pier is now off limits to people that are not graduating form Balamb Garden. Even that, the place is as crowded as ever. Everyone was not as loud, but all are talking to each other with a classical tone in their voice.  
  
"Damn…" Zell muttered. "Why is everyone so quiet.  
  
They made their way toward a huge dome-shaped building along with the flow of other people. At the gate, big security people are checking off names in a long list of arrivals, and occasionally throwing out people trying to sneak in.  
  
It took them five minutes for their turn to enter.  
  
"Squall Leonhart." He said to the guy at the door.  
  
"Zell Dincht." Zell said after.  
  
He punched in the names.  
  
"Welcome." He said to them. "Special VIP passes has been issued to both of you." The guy handed both of them a small card.  
  
"Privileges." Zell said. "When your girl's backstage."  
  
It's hard to believe that Selphie, the head of The Garden Committee, staged this whole thing. The ball room was decorated with a sense of classical era to it, Everywhere was toned to a color of gold, and a giant crystalline chandelier was suspended in the middle of the gigantic room. A full orchestra was playing below a stage which stretched through the right side of the room. The place was almost full, and the last bit of people was just coming in.  
  
The music suddenly stopped.  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen." The hidden speakers boomed.  
  
With this, everyone directed their attention to the stage. On it, stood Sid.  
  
"Will everyone take a seat, please. The Program is about to start."  
  
The two of them took two seats in the ocean of chairs. Meanwhile, Sid is on stage waiting patiently.  
  
"Thank you." He said after everyone settled down. "First, I would like to congratulate everyone that's here today. Most of you have dedicated your years before today for this moment. I am very proud of all of you. Even thought that you guys will go your separate paths after this, today is a day of unity and bliss of all of us."  
  
Everyone applauded.  
  
"This year's ball is the most extravagant I've ever seem in my life as the headmaster of Balamb Garden. Now, please welcome the head of the Garden Committee, the one who brought you this event, Miss Selphie Timmitt!"  
  
She walked on stage, dressed in a ballroom down of pink and white.  
  
"Thank you, headmaster." She said after everyone stopped cheering and clapping. "Hello, fellow students and faculty. This is our time of celebration! And probably the only time I'll be formal this year. Without further ado, let the ball began with performances from our Garden Performance group!"  
  
Everyone clapped politely.  
  
Squall didn't pay much attention to any of them, so he just sat through most of them. Until…  
  
"At last," Selphie was on stage. "We are almost at the conclusion of our program. Now, we've saved the best for last. Here's her debut performance, Miss Xu Loire!"  
  
She walked on stage.  
  
"Hello everyone…" She said, kind of nervous. "I'll be performing a song. It is written by a pianist named Julia Heartilly. So…here I go…"  
  
Note: She's gonna sing Final Fantasy 8's theme song, "Eye On Me." If you haven't heard it before…*cough* Morpheus  
  
  
  
A/N: There probably won't be another chapter for a while  
  
Because…I'm kinda bored with the story…so…  
  
  
  
©( Copyright Omega 2000-2002. All text is the property of Authors Tao Li and Jeanie Owen. All rights reserved.  
  
"Eye On Me"  
  
Written by: Nobuo Uemastu  
  
Performed By: Faye Wang  
  
/*/*/*/*/*/*/*  
  
Whenever sang my songs, on the stage, on my own.  
  
Whenever said my word, wishing they would be heard.  
  
I saw you smiling at me. Was it real of just my fantasy?  
  
You'd always be there in the corner, of this tiny little bar.  
  
My last night here for you, same old songs, just once more.  
  
My last night here with you? Maybe yes, maybe no.  
  
I kind of liked it your way, how you shyly placed your eyes on me.  
  
But did you ever know that I had mine on you?  
  
Darling so there you are, with that look on your face.  
  
As if you're never hurt. As if you're never down.  
  
Shall I be the one for you, who pinches you softly but sure.  
  
If frown is shown then, I will know that you are no dreamer.  
  
…  
  
So let me come to you, close as I wanna be.  
  
Close enough for me, to feel your heart beating fast.  
  
And stay there as I whisper, how I love your peaceful eyes on me.  
  
Did you ever know, that I had mine on you?  
  
Darling, so share with me, your love if you have enough.  
  
The tears if you're holding back, or pain if that's what it is.  
  
How can I let you know, I'm more than the dress and the voice.  
  
Just reach me out then, you will know that you are not dreaming. 


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten: Last Midnight  
  
Squall was sitting down at a table a short time after. Almost everyone was waltzing on the dance floor. He was sipping a glass of wine, getting a little dizzy, as he was not used to alcohol. It's ten at night now, and the sky is colored dark-blue. Squall put the glass down on the table and walked around a bit. Then sitting down again at a table near the door. "Hey, you." Someone said. He looked up. A girl was walking toward him. She was in a pearl-white dress. A head of black hair waved each time she stepped toward him. A deep brown eyes looked straight at him, as she got closer and closer. She stood there for a moment, just looking at him. ".You're the best looking guy here." She said after a while. "Oh?" Squall replied, a little taken back. "Com'on." She said again after a while. "Let's dance." She held out her hand. "No?" She said after Squall did nothing. "Oh, let me guess.you only dance with people you like?" Squall stayed wordless. "Then I'll have to make you to like me then." She then twirled her finger close to his face, as though trying to cast a spell on him. "You're going to like me, you're going to like me, you're going to like me." Squall still stayed silent. "Did it work?" She asked. ".I. don't dance." Squall finally answered. "Don't worry about it." She said while tugging at his arm. "You'll catch on." Then she dragged him on to the floor. She took one of her hand and held on to one of Squall's, and placed the other one around her waist. "Now." She said to him. "I'll lead you." Squall was lying when he said he didn't dance. But he tried to convince the girl he doesn't want to. "Ow!" She said after Squall half-purposely stepped on her foot. Then Squall started off the floor. "Oh no you don't." She said while grabbing his hand. "I'm not done with you yet." Again, Squall was forced to put up a fake act of no-dancing. This time, he led them into another couple. They looked at Squall and the girl in a weird way. "What? Jealous?" She said to them while making a face. The song ended, and so did Squall's resist to the girl. He felt that she was. different than anybody else he's ever known. She was the total opposite of Squall, but he felt that he has known her like a best friend. Another tune started, and Squall knew it. Soon, the both of them were dancing to it that them both don't even have to think about what's next. At the end of the song, the dance ended with both of them very close to one another. Their eyes met, her brown eyes locked onto his. Their hands were as if bonded to the other. "Fireworks! Wow." She said. Squall looked up, and saw blossoms of the colors of the rainbow above them. They stood there for a moment. ".You don't dance?" She asked him again. She held out her hand again to a new song, but Squall just simply kissed it. ".I'll see you around." She said after a pause. Then she walked off, leaving Squall standing there, motionless.  
  
Moments later, Squall is standing on a balcony that's facing the ocean. "So, you are willing to dance with strangers, but can't continue a conversation with me, huh?" Squall noticed Quistis standing next to him. "It's not the same." Squall said. "You're an instructor, I'm your student. It's kind of odd if you're not saying anything." "Well, I'm only starting to understand my students." Quistis said. Squall didn't reply. "It's been a year now since I've become a teacher, I remember how I first got started.just graduated from here. You know why I did that?" "No." "I, Quistis." She started again after a pause. "Am no longer an instructor." Squall acted as if he didn't hear anything. ".Sid said I didn't have the heart of a teacher.I guess I don't. I must have been a little too involved with.my students, you know. A teacher should be strict and unforgiving. I can't stand punishing my students. Sid must've thought I was been soft with you guys, and- Hey! Are you listening to me?!" "Why should I listen? What I'm I suppose to say after you finish?" "I don't want you to say anything! Sometimes people want to let things out." "I don't think I should care about other people's problems. I mind my own business." "That's so you Squall." Quistis said. "Why are you being so cold? You are doing the same thing you did to Xu. Sometimes, a person just wants support from you.someone to lean on, you know?" "I don't want to carry another person's miseries. If it doesn't involve me, I don't give a damn. I'm sorry, but that's just me. It would take someone like an angel to change that." Then he walked back inside. "Well, I need that someone." Quistis whispered.  
  
The Ball ended well past midnight, and Squall was occupied by Xu most of the time after she came from backstage. They talked, danced, and then left when Sid closed the Ball with a speech. People were slowly gathered themselves toward the door, and slowly filtered onto the pier. ".Something on your mind?" Xu asked him as they walked toward the train station. "No." Squall lied. He still has the picture of that girl in his head. She didn't ask any further. "Hey Squall!" Someone one called him. Zell was walking toward him, with Selphie closed behind. "Hey you luck dog, you! Who was that fine-ass-" But Squall grabbed him by the neck and almost made him choke. "Yeah! I had a good time too!" Squall dragged him from earshot. "Shut up about that." He said while Zell was catching his breath. "My bad." Zell answered. "What happened?" Xu asked when they walked back. "Ah.that's.d.an inside joke. Yeah." Squall said while scratching his head. ".Right." Selphie said, while giving Squall a look. They boarded the train back to Balamb Garden, but the Garden didn't look like midnight at all, people were still up with their after-parties. "I'll just go to bed now." Squall said. "No, you're not." Xu rejected. "You are to change then met me at the gate of the Training Center, in ten minutes." "You're starting to sound like Quistis, Xu." Zell said. Xu didn't say anything.  
  
After Squall has changed into his normal clothing, he hastily went to meet up with Xu. "It's probably our last night together for a while. So, we'd better do something.memorable." She said as he showed up. ".Then shouldn't we be in your room or something?" "No! Not like that!" She laughed. "Gosh.where did you get this stuff? Zell?" Squall grinned. "Com'on. we're only human." She led him into the Training Center. Squall didn't come to this place much, but Xu seemed to know the way as she navigated him through different passages further inside. The stopped at the entrance to a door that said "NO ENTRANCE". She opened the door. It was a balcony. If you look past the clutter of boxes, you can see the full view of Balamb Garden's huge domed structure. As they went to the ledge, they saw other couples, some making out. The Garden was glowing with a strange aura around it, and the skylight shined to the stars above. "Nice." He said as he gazed at the Garden. Xu held on to Squall's arm, and leaned on it. "I know this place for a long time. But, I've never been here." Squall didn't say anything. "Did you enjoy the Ball?" He nodded. "Your song was beautiful." "Thanks. So, who was that girl you danced with?" "You saw me?!" She smiled. "I'm not mad. So who was it?" ".I don't know." "So she just came up to you and asked you to dance?" "Yeah.that's about it." "Hmm.I didn't see her afterwards either." Xu said. "I would've asked her how did she do it." "Do what?" "Get you to dance with her." Squall looked at Xu. "I would've danced with you anytime." "There's one thing I don't get about you." She thought out loud after she got closer to him. "How sometimes you can be this guy would ignore everyone, being cold to even your friends, and don't give a darn about anything. And the other times, when you are this sweet, funny, adorable, and making people feel comfortable and safe when they are with you." "Uh." Squall thought. "Identical Crisis?" She smiled. "No.I think you're deeper than that." "How will I remember you by when you're gone?" Squall said to her. "Well." She thought about it. "I'll give you this." She took off the ring she got from Julia. "Let this ring be the bond between us." She put it on Squall's right ring finger. "Let it never be broken." Squall looked at the ring, than took something out of his pocket. "This." He showed it to Xu. "Was my mother's. It's the only thing I have left of her. I had it all my life." "What is it?" She looked at it. Squall got down to his knees, and put it around Xu's ankle. "It's an ankle bracelet. I want to have it." "Oh! No! I can't keep this!" "It's special to me, but if you keep it safe for me, I'm sure it will be safe." She rested her arms on his shoulders. "I will always remember you, Squall." She kissed him, and rested her head on his shoulder. "I, the same."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
©( Copyright Omega 2000-2002. All text is the property of Authors Tao Li and Jeanie Owen. All rights reserved. 


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven: Second Meeting  
  
Dear Squall, What's up? I just had gotten here at the White SeeD. All of our classes are WAY different from what we had at Balamb Garden. Well.what else can I say? I'm not that good at writing letters anyways. Hey Squall, how are you holding up? Is Zell still annoying you? He should grow up now that he has a job. Speaking of jobs, how's being Freelancer? Hope Sid didn't give you a hard mission to start off with. Oh, shoot! I gotta get to the auditorium. Talk to you later! Love, Xu P.S.: Say hi to everyone for me!  
  
Squall folded up the short-written letter and put it on the desk. He thought of writing back, but more important things bared into his mind. Today he will take up on his first mission. Sid just called him by phone this morning, telling Squall to meet him at the front gate at noon. Squall has just finished his lunch when he got the letter delivered to him personally since almost no one communicate by written letters anymore. He arrived at the gate, and waited for a while. The absolute absence of people crept him out a little, but then he remembered that the next semester doesn't start for two months, and a tiny fraction of Freelancers stayed for vacation. Squall, of course had nowhere to go anyways. The silence was soon replaced be a low hum. Zell was riding on an anti-grav board he got from his mom after graduating from SeeD. He had been gloating about it for at least a week now. Selphie was holding on to his waist wearing a face of ecstasy. "What the heck are you doing here?" Zell greeted Squall as they skidded to a stop. "First mission." He answered. "Us too!" Selphie said. "Coincidence, huh?" At that moment, Sid came strolling up to them, holding a folder and a strange looking lamp in his hands. "Hello, everyone!" He said. "Would you kindly hold this for a moment, Squall? Thanks." "What is it?" Zell asked as he observed the tiny black lamp. "I'll tell you that in a second. Ok.You are all here for your first, mission as a Freelancer, and-" "Wait a minute," Zell interrupted. "Just the three of us? Isn't it usually like a whole team of twenty or something?" "Yeah.That would be normal, but the Garden has agreed to the mission for a small amount of money, so a small team will be sent." "Oh." "Anyways, I'm here to explain your mission. It'll will be plain and simple. You will assist a small group of freedom fighters inside the town of Timber. You will be assisting them any way you can, and can only return after the mission is complete. You will take the Seaboard Train to the destination. After you get off the train, you will be immediately greeted by a member of the group, with the phrase 'Timber sure have changed.' And you will reply with 'But the Owls are still here.' Blah, blah, blah.the rest of the info is in here." He handed the folder to Zell. "And that lamp." He pointed at Squall's hand. "I've received it from Julia sometime ago. She said quote, 'It will help you in your time of need.'" ".O-K." Squall said. "What am I suppose to do when I wanna use it?" "I don't know." Sid said. "I've never used it before. I think you guys are all set. I'll just go back into my office."  
  
The crew took the tram to Balamb. After a quick stop at Zell's house, where the took some huge sandwiches for the trip, they headed for the Train Station. The trains are the best way to travel in the whole world. The country Galbadia initiated the global project by connecting their whole continent with railroad about ten years ago. The rest of the modern world followed. The Train Station at Balamb is probably the last place connected. Tracks also were laid on the ocean floors to the islands. The Station was not as crowded as usual because most of the people from the Garden already left the place. They bought their tickets, paid by Squall, and boarded the Train bound for Timber on the Galbadia continent. "I don't know why you brought that." Squall said to Zell, who is polishing his Anti-Grav board for the twentieth time. "Hey you haven't seen the features of this yet." Zell said. With a press of a button, the blue-colored board extended its wings. "Now it can carry three people!" "Neat!" Selphie exclaimed. "And, for easy carrying." He pressed another button, then the thing folded itself up to a backpack sized bag. "It is foldable and compact!" "Man, you sound like a commercial."  
  
The train whistled to a stop at the station half past one, and they got on with a small group of other people. "Thank you. Please proceed to your designated cabinet." The mechanical voice said when Squall scanned the tickets at the door. The room was cozy looking, with a fluffy couch, a bunk bed, and a TV screen on the wall. And the room was filled with assorted plant-life. "Dang." Zell muttered. "I could get used to this!" Selphie jumped onto the couch, and looked out the window. "I could see Balamb from here!" Squall suddenly felt a ringing noise in his head, and suddenly, his leg jellied up, and he fell to his knees. "Yo! You alright, man?!" Zell got up and asked. Squall couldn't the endure pain anymore, and his whole body fell to the ground, and he closed his eyes. 'Don't resist, Squall.' A voice said. "Make it stop!" Squall groaned. "Make it stop."  
  
. "Laguna, Are you sure you know where you're going?" Kiros asked again. "Don't worry about it" He replied. "I've been here a million times. I couldn't possibly get lost. again.I hope." "Oh that helps." Ward said. The trio continued their way through the thicket of trees and tall grass. Laguna is a medium sized man, with pale-black hair, and a bang down his right face. Kiros is well-tanned, lean, and quick on the feet. Ward, on the other hand, is huge, muscular, and always wearing a blue ski-cap. 'What the hell?' Squall said. Laguna and the rest slowly but steadily hiked through the woods until they came across a military jeep. "See. Told you we wouldn't get lost." Laguna said while climbing inside the thing. They continued through the place on a dirt road. Finally, a valley of light was upon them. "That, boys, is Deling City, the biggest city on the continent. Whatever you want is there!" "We've been here a hundred times, Laguna." Ward boringly replied. "We don't need an introduction every time." The gang parked the vehicle just outside of a hotel, and they headed in. "Welcome, mister Laguna, will you take the usual seats today?" A waitress asked him as he walked in. "Yeah. Let's take the load off."Laguna said as he rubbed his head. The circle of seats was randomly placed in the place, with a bar to the left, and a grand piano is in the front of the room. "The usual, of course." He said as the waitress came over to take their orders. She walked back without a word. At that moment, a girl came in, and Laguna was frozen. Literally frozen. "Yo Laguna. Snap out of it." Kiros snapped his fingers to his face. No response. The girl seated herself in front the grand piano, and she played. "Don't just sit there, man. Talk to her for once!" Ward pushed Laguna out of his seat. "But, but, but I never talked to her before." Laguna said whiles scratching his head. "Well, better now than never!" He walked nervously up toward her. His heart was pounding. What the hell am I suppose to say to her?! Laguna thought. And he paused for a second. "Ah, crap! Cramp!" He said while pointing at his leg, limping around. And he quickly went back to where his buddies were. "That went well." Kiros said. "Yeah." Laguna said while rubbing his leg. "Our popularity rating just went up by two points." "Now we're at an incredible negative five." Ward said. "Um.Ward?" Kiros said. "Why don't we.uh, take a walk. Yeah?" "Yeah." He answered. "Laguna, you just enjoy your dinner, yeah?" "Where are you guys going?!" Laguna yelled after them as they walked out. "Come back here! I'm not paying the bill again!" "Um, mister Laguna?" He flashed around, and saw she standing behind him. "Ah!" He yelped. "I mean.um, hello. Want some steak?" "No thanks." She said. "Why don't you.come up to my room after a bit?" "Your room?" Laguna nervously asked. "Ask the receptionist." Then she left. "Wow." Kiros said as the two of them came back. "Yeah." Laguna sat there, stunned. "Look at my popularity now, it just went through the roof."  
  
"Hello." She said as he came into her room. "What's up! I mean, uh.hello." Laguna sputtered out. She giggled. "Don't be nervous. We're old friends, right?" "Old.friends?" She sighed. "I know you watch me play every time you're here. You sit there with your dreamy face, it's like no one else mattered. You think I didn't notice?" "Duh-uh."Laguna tried to speak. "How come you don't ever talk to me?" "I.I tried today.but-" She suddenly took his hand. "Shh." .  
  
"Yo! Wake up, fool!" A blurred vision greeted him as he woke up. his temple is still throbbing with pain. Squall sat up. "Ah, crap. the hell was that?" "I don't know." Selphie said. He saw her and Zell, and thought they must've collapsed too. "Maybe the bad guys are trying to poison us!" Zell said, sounded a little panicked. ".What bad guys?" Squall asked. "Um.good point." "The dream was pretty weird, though." Zell said. "Yeah." Selphie sighed. "But Laguna was so dreamy." "Laguna?" Squall said. "And Kiros?" ".And Ward." Zell muttered. "Ok.this is getting creepy." "If we had the same dream, then it wasn't a coincidence." Squall thought about it. "Let's keep this to ourselves until the mission's over." They all agreed. The group stayed quiet until the train slowly rolled into Timber Station. The town looks oddly deserted. All the buildings have a color of pale blue, and they all looked identical. As they got off the train, a guy wearing windbreakers and a stocking cap suddenly came up to them. "Timber sure have changed." He said to them. "Uh." Squall thought about it. "But the chocobos are still here?" "The guy looked at them kind of weird, and then ran away. "You gave the wrong password!" Zell yelled at him. "Com'on, let's follow him." The rounded a corner to a dead end alley, and saw the guy arguing with a guy dressed in all blue. "But they gave the wrong password!" The first guy said. "Ah! But we paid for them already, you dumb ass! We can't just let them go!" The other guy said. And he saw the three of them standing there. "Oh. Sorry for the inconvenience. You guys are the SeeD, right?" The guy in the blue asked them. "Yeah." Squall answered. "Come with us please." He signaled Squall and the others to follow them. They went back to the train station, and saw another train has just arrived. "This is our secret mobile headquarters, please get on board. You will be debriefed there." The train started to move as soon as the doors closed behind them. The interior is just like the interior of a submarine. A steady beep resonated in the background. And groups of low whispers of conversation continued on. "You are the Timber Owls?" Squall asked. "Yes. We are the Timber Owls Resistance Group. We aim to oppose Galbadian rule at Timber." The blue guy answered. "We have requested your assistance on this mission." "I'm Zone. That is Watts." He pointed to the other guy. "We are the two high-ranking officers here." "I want to see the head of operations." Squall snapped at them. They both looked uneasy. "Our princess is currently taking a nap." Princess? Zell sneered. "Man, what is your boss, a cat or something?" Squall gave him a look and turned back. "I must speak to her. It is customary." The two guys looked at one another, then Zone said, "Ok, you can talk to her. She's right through that door, the last room down." Squall sighed, then walked toward the door they were pointing at. The room is what you would find if you had a little sister. The curtains, the bed, and everything else are in a tint of pink and red. On the bed laid a girl, and she was obvious sound asleep. Suddenly a thing of brown and white appeared behind the bed. A shaggy- furred dog were suddenly at his feet, teeth bared. "Easy, boy." Squall cautiously backed away. The blue-ish blur that rushed at him turned him into pure stone until he heard, "You're here! you're here!" The shoulder that he is leaning on backed away, he saw the person. "You.you're-" "Nice to see you too." "What.how.why." The person was that girl. The mysterious girl that danced with him at the ball. Now dress in a blue dress, she looked as beautiful as ever. "I suppose your name is Squall?" The girl asked. Squall nodded. "My name is Rinoa. Rinoa Heartilly. I am the leader of the Timber Owls!" "Whoa!" Zell pointed at her. "Aren't you that fine-ass girl that danced with Squall that night?!" "Fine.ass?" She asked. Zell contorted his face to his disbelief, and sighed. "Never mind." "Anyways, thanks you all for coming here. I've been waiting a while for you guys!" She said to them. "Why don't you guys go into this room. Zone will debrief you." "I wish you'd debrief me-" Zell's sentence was cut short by Selphie's punch. "You never give up, do you?!" She said as they walked into the room. 


End file.
